Cradle, Crash, and BURN!
by Feathersprite305
Summary: Danny gets preggo, Clockwork marries him, Dan is a toddler, and Reki has nothing to do with any of this. Really. It's much more serious than I make it sound, too. Yaoi, Slash, Mpreg, No likey no read, yadda yadda yadda.
1. Chapter 1

Hey! Listen up! This is a new story, okay? It has all my usual elements: yaoi, cursing, mpreg, vanilla-

Danny: Wait, what was the last thing you said?

Vanilla? Oh, mpreg.

Danny: Does that mean what I think it means?

Maaaaybe?

Anyhoo! Disclaimer: I do NOT own Danny Phantom. I only own my OC Reki. Butch Hartman is the creator and owner of Danny Phantom and its characters. So no sueing, got it?

STORY!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>It was October, the month of the year when the Ghost Zone pulsed with energy supplied by the Human World. Spirits that frequented Amity-Park, though, were still subject to getting their ectoplasmic forms kicked back to their world by one Danny Phantom, a half-ghost, half-human boy who protected the town.<p>

Danny Phantom, or as the humans knew him as, Danny Fenton, was not quite your average seventeen-year-old male. He had black hair that had a tendency to bleach itself a snow white when in his ghost form, and sky blue eyes that turned fiery green when he was fighting a spook. He gained his powers when he explored his parents invention, the Fenton Ghost Portal. His parents, Maddy and Jack, were ghost hunters, who though not very good at catching ghosts, created invetions that served to help Danny more than occasionally. The portal didn't work at first, and both his mother and father abandoned it. Danny was encouraged by his friend Sam to enter the space and find out how it worked, resulting in him being electrocuted to the state of being half dead, half alive. Thusly, Danny Phantom was born.

Danny had two best friends who helped him to keep their town safe, but often helped to cause the chaos. Samantha Manson, Sam for short, was a beautiful dark-haired girl with jewel-purple eyes and a sarcastically fun attitude. Sam was what she called an 'ultra-recyclo-vegetarian', meaning she ate things such as organic and home-grown produce and vegetables. She was knowledgable about the ghosts they fought, and was familiar with the equipment used to battle the spirits. Tucker Foley, who had an ego as big as his love of meat, was Danny's second best friend. Tucker had cocoa brown skin, and doe eyes that exaggerated when he saw technology he wanted. Tucker was the intelligent one, able to hack any system that might be needed by the group in their battles. He was also a huge flirt, and tended to let his ego get the better of him sometimes. He never let the group down, though, and when he fought, it was tooth and nail. (Or rather, byte and chip, to be precise)

These three were well known in the Ghost Zone, and in the Human World. Danny was slightly more well-known as the Ghost Boy. He had many enemies, including some in the Human World, but much more that lived in the Ghost Zone, and who would attack him on sight. From time to time, though, they could stand on equal ground and fight enemies who would threaten the safety of both worlds.

One day in this month, however he simply...disappeared.

* * *

><p>"OH SPROCK, NOT GOOD!" Came a scream overhead. Skulker, a robotic ghost who was known as a hunter of exotic creatures, looked upwards from where he was conversing with several other ghosts about Danny Phantom's disappearance. These included Technus, a master of technology with a horribly inflated ego; Ember McClain, a ghostly rockstar with an attitude and lust for the spotlight no one could compare to; Lunch Lady, the spirit of a cafeteria worker who was very titchy about the menu being changed; Box Ghost, who- ah screw it, who cares about Box Ghost? (BG: HEY!)<p>

A young girl, about fourteen, was zipping through the Ghost Zone sky, on a broom that left a trail of orange and purple sparks. This was Reki, a witchling who'd crashed down on Danny when he and his friends were mapping the Ghost Zone for Frostbite. She wasn't very strong, but had bravado where it counted, and a never-say-die attitude that annoyed the ghosts to no end. She looked very upset, which is why Skulker reached out with his extendable claw and plucked her from her ride.

"Well, if it isn't the tiny magic-user? What are you in such a rush for?" He asked, already plotting to ransom her for the ghost boy. Reki struggled and kicked at the mech ghost's arm, wishing that her wand wasn't still broken from when she had saved Tucker from Vlad. As it was, she could only use small spells, and they tended to wear down on her energy.

"Nonya! Suck it, iron-head!" She yelled, finally getting free as her broom rammed into Skulker's side, releasing her cape from the metal hand. She jumped back on the broom, sticking her tongue out at them before taking off.

"Well, it isn't like you know where Ghost Boy is!" Ember shouted after her, amazed when Reki came to a sudden stop. The witchling hovered in place for a few moments, and then turned around. Her eyes, normally bright orange, were glowing a dark green color.

'_Attention_, _everyone_. _This is the Master of Time, Clockwork_.' The ghosts immediately were on edge; what reason did Clockwork, of all ghosts, have to contact them? '_You_ _are correct in your assumption of Reki's impatience. She has located Danny Phantom, and is enroute to me to disclose his location. However, I ask that you follow her, for I am aware that Daniel can not be returned to AmityPark without your assistance_.' Reki shook her head as the contact was cut, and her eyes glowed as fiercely as a flame.

"GDI, Clockwork. I hate when you do that. And why would you think these losers would help?" Skulker frowned at her; there was no lost love between them or the ghost boy, but if they were needed to rescue him, if he was in trouble deep enough that not even he himself could get out off, who were they to turn a blind eye? Besides, they could use it later to lord it over him. Reki's 'ha-rumph!' brought the mechanical spook out of his thoughts. "Fine. Follow if you want, but I warn you. Get in the way, and you'll find out why I was once feared as the strongest witchling in the Academy." With that, she zoomed away.

They took to the air after her, weaving in and out of the floating isles that made up the majority of the Ghost Zone. They flew for a while, stopped once to rest, then continued into a part of the Zone where time and space began to slow the further they went. Soon enough, they came upon a huge, spindled castle, glowing with energy that made them back away slightly, before Reki shook off the feeling of being intimidated by a building and flew in. Skulker and the others followed shortly.

"Ah, Reki. My dear girl, how are you?" Clockwork floated in front of his Gear-Mirrors(1), wiping them blank before turning to see her. Reki curtsied in front of him, while the ghosts stood a ways away. They were definitely intimidated by the power resonating from the cloaked ghost. He had blue skin, ruby eyes with a zigzag scar over the left, and a calm air that symbolized power. He wore a long purple cloak, and held a staff with a clock-like contraption on the tip.

"Master Clockwork." She stood up straight again. Skulker stepped forward and she glared at him. "I brought them here, like you asked. Though I still don't see how they'll be of any help." She swept off her hat, a traditional witch's hat with a large cerulean orb at the end, and swirled orange and purple cloth. Clockwork simply smirked, and patted her head, cocoa-powder colored locks that reached to her chin, save for a spike of hair that swirled down to her shoulder.

"Oh, I know you don't understand, dear girl. You won't for a while, and maybe you have no reason to give them faith. But I promise." He looked up at the ghosts, surveying them each. "They will be the ones to bring Daniel back to safety." Ember dry-swallowed, her nerves screaming at her to leave. Clockwork was one of the most powerful ghosts of the Ghost Zone; he was able to manipulate time, and his brothers were just as powerful. If Clockwork was entrusting the mission of Ghost Boy's rescue to them, the ghost boy that he was rumored to favor, it had to be- that was-

"A joke?" The singer was startled by the loud exclamation by Technus. The mad genius stepped forward, and everyone save Clockwork groaned; Technus was infamous for his monologues. "I, the great Technus, the master of-" He was quickly cut off by Clockwork pausing the space around the technologic ghost.('Time Out.')

"Technology, blah, blah, blah, '-Shall not take part in the rescue of a pathetic whelp', yes, yes, Technus, I heard it before." Reki snorted as the ghost's expression slowly changed to one of anger. "Now, may I unfreeze you without an impending monologue?" Technus slowly nodded, making Reki giggle harder. Clockwork smiled as he unpaused the ghost, ('Time In.') and shifted to his baby form. "Good."

Clockwork tugged Reki in front of the largest Gear-Mirror, sitting her down in front and holding his staff over her head. She closed her eyes. "Mind Unwind, Mind Rewind, Mind Mind Wind(2)!" The picture inside the gear flickered, before it settled into a clear picture.

(Danny, bruised and bloody, being tossed into a cell. Danny being held up as liquid was pumped into his arm. Danny, bolted down to a table via bolts embedded in his wrists. Danny, mouth open in a silent scream as a huge medical saw pierced his skin.)

Ember shrieked and leapt back. Technus and Skulker looked ill. Box Ghost and Lunch Lady stood with dropped jaws at the images. Reki was crying silently as the images faded, Clockwork helping her to stand.

"Do you understand now?" She asked with a snarl. "Danny Phantom, the boy whom I regard as my brother, the protector of Amity-Park, your enemy, is going to die if he isn't rescued soon." She glared at them, wishing they would burst into flame. "And you're the ones who have to do it."

Box Ghost was the first to speak up after almost five painfully silent minutes. "I, the great Box Ghost, shall recover the ghost boy! I will then use that marvelously scary square room to terrorize Amity-Park!" Reki moved faster than anyone could blink, and barely a moment later the Box Ghost was embedded in the rock that made up the ceiling of the room. Reki cracked her knuckles.

"Anyone else wanna be funny?" She growled out. Skulker gave the witchling an appraising look, before it settled back into a scowl, directed at Clockwork.

"Why are we the ones to rescue the Ghost Boy?" Clockwork passed his staff in front of the gear, and the ghosts reared back out of anger. Clockork shifted into his adult form as he spoke.

"I believe you are all familiar with our old friends, the Guys in White?"

End chapter one.

* * *

><p>READ AND REVIEW! GDI = Goddammit. If you don't know l33tsp34k, then you live in the eighties still. But hey, at least they had afros!<p>

(1): Gear-Mirrors just sounds so cool, doesn't it? Besides, are they ever given an actual name?

(2): Ever watch Soul Eater? The way witches, and Free, cast spells usually has a couple of rhyming words that get chopped up. (Fribbit, Ribbit Cribbit, Ribbit Ribbit, Cribbit Fribbit!) Eruka Frog is my favorite. She's so cute!


	2. Chapter 2

Heyo! Second chapter!

Danny: I make an appearance?

Yus, you do!

Reki: Hey, when do I get back to 'If I Kiss You'?

When I say so. NYEH!*sticks tongue out*

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>[In the existance of the paranormal, there is a group known as the Guys in White. They are a secretive society dedicated to capturing and studying things that cannot be considered anything but abnormal. They are the people who take what goes bump in the night, and silence it forever.]<p>

* * *

><p>It was dark, where he lay, that much he knew. Daniel Fenton, currently in his ghost mode known as Danny Phantom, was lying face down on the floor of a window-less room. He'd been ambushed by the Guys in White while in Washington, and had been brought to this secret base of theirs. He'd undergone so much after arriving, Danny was too weak to move, so he simply continued to stare at the crack of light under the door. How long had he been here? More than two weeks, for sure. Where were his friends? Not sure at all. Was anyone going to come for him? Too many questions running through his head, making it spin like a dreidel at Christmas.<p>

Ah, Christmas. He'd forgotten. What would happen when he failed to show up for the Truce party? Ember and Skulker were big fans of the fudge he made and brought for the event. Technus always liked to try dragging him under the mistletoe, only to have Lunch Lady glare at him until Danny was released. Would Johnny and Kitty fight again? He hoped Kitty wouldn't break the punch bowl over Johnny's head again, like last year. That had been a very lovely punch bowl. Though Clockwork could just rewind it again and make it new.

Clockwork. A hot tear squeezed out between his shut eye. Where was the timekeeper? Clockwork was usually the first to respond to Danny. Why hadn't he come to rescue Danny from this awful place? Was he unable to, or did he simply not care? He hadn't come the first time Danny had called for him, when the Guys in White had cut open his chest with a saw and studied his organs. They had wrapped him up like a mummy and put him in this tiny room to heal. A few days after he was better, they'd strapped him to a machine that had forced him to transform back and forth between his modes, leaving him in horrible pain, like he'd just taken a hundred Ghostly Wails to the stomach.

After that, it was one horrible test after another, and Danny was sure they were waiting for him to simply give out and die on them. He wondered what would happen if he did die. Would his soul go to the Ghost Zone? Or was it that he had two souls, human and ghost? Would they get split up? Wasn't that what created Dan? He feared about it for a while, before giving up on thinking, and concentrated on sleep. Sleep healed his body, less than it would had he been healthy, but still. He was contemplating whether he should ask for his clothes back. He was getting cold in the cell, after all.

Danny had laughed slightly when it hit him, that he was probably never going to get out of here; nobody knew where he was, and because of ghost-fighting, he was subject to disappearing for long periods of time. He wanted to be back home. He wanted to go back in time, to when his life wasn't so messed up. Then, the previous day, the GiW had started a test that caused Danny to react in hysterics. He was tossed back in his cell, and left to stew in anger. He'd read a quote once that summed up his opinion of the world at that point: Life's a bitch. After that, he'd dissolved into a powerful fit of rage and insanity, beating the walls with his fists and screaming Ghostly Wails at the walls until they were curved outward. The walls did not break; but he did.

'Intruder alert. Intruder alert. Ecto-plasmic energy has been detected on floor seventeen.' A loud electronic voice called out. Danny watched as shadows passed by the door, men shouting for weapons and paperwork. The GiW were infamous for their inability to do anything without at least ten sheets of form papers. He counted the seconds that passd by, until the alarm was suddenly shut off. He was on edge, heartbeat loud and fast, as he tried to concentrate on the sounds outside his cell. He could now hear very calm voices talking, approaching his door, and then the door was opening-

Skulker grinned down at him, but Danny had no energy to leap back and scream. Only lay there and stare at Skulker blankly, waiting for the mech ghost to make a move. Of course, reality took a left turn off a cliff when the mech picked him up gently and turned, marching away down a corridor full of unconscious guards with Technus by their side, the electronic master frying any technology that attempted to bar their way. Danny stared with wide eyes as several other familiar faces popped out of the walls, and all staring at him; Ember stepped forward with a white lab coat. The GiW apparently had found it un-necessary to cloth the child.

"Hey ghost kid." Ember's voice was very soft as she spoke to the ghost boy, who looked like a comment on his hair would send him into a fit. Despite her efforts, the moment she touched a dried cut on his cheek he broke down into hysterical tears.

Skulker let Ember take the ghost child from him. The frail Phantom was pratically molded against her body, soaking up every last comforting wave of energy he could as he cried. His body was littered with needle marks, scars, and stitches. Tons of stitches, running across his torso, his legs, his arms- DAMMIT! Skulker pounded his fist against the wall, trying not to notice when the child jumped and whined. If it had been him, Skulker would've made it painless, but these humans, this trash decided to make it unbearable to breath for the ghost boy. He seethed.

He picked up Ember and Danny, then nodded to Technus, who disappeared back into the wall. The tech was going to disable the shield so that they could get back to the portal that Reki had opened for them. A weak coughing called his attention to the boy. Danny was staring at him with tired, but suspicious eyes.

"...W-Why...?" Was all Danny could get out. His chest was still in pain from being cut open. A million responses, most of them cheeky, ran through the mech's head, but one slipped out without him thinking.

"Clockwork asked us to." And just like that, Danny felt the edginess in him fade. If Clockwork asked his enemies to rescue him, then the timekeeper _had_ been watching; he had to wait for the pieces to fall into place, wait for the ghosts to gather before he could do anything. The ghosts known as Observants made sure Clockwork did not interfere with the timeline, but Clockwork always found ways, loopholes, to get under their ecto-skin. Danny settled back against Ember, her fiery soul warming his body significantly; he needed warmth. Ember wrapped her arms tighter around Danny, and nodded to Skulker. When two more guards rounded the corner, guns aimed at them, Box Ghost and Lunch Lady flew out and brought down a metal toolbox and a rolling pin, respectively, on the human heads.

* * *

><p>Clockwork watched the group with a blank stare. Or as blank a face as Reki had ever seen. He had that look on his face, even as two bursts of high spirit energy erupted into being behind them. Reki turned, and fell down in shock.<p>

Before her were two ghosts she'd only heard about, and never imagined she'd see. Nocturne, the Spirit of Sleep, and Vortex, the Spirit of Weather. They stared down at her, making Reki shrink back. Nocturne looked somewhat like a ram demon, and from what she'd been told about him, Danny was almost unable to defeat him. Vortex was the same, but looked much, much scarier. From what she had been by Sam, Vortex had nearly destroyed the Earth after being angered by Plasmius. Reki slowly edged out from Clockwork's cloak, staring at Nocturne with caution. For a moment, the three stared at each other, suspicion heavy in the air. Then, Nocturne smirked, before he bowed and held out his hand, which had a bright cloud of glowing blue dust in the palm. She frowned and blew it at him, making him laugh.

Clockwork watched them with that same expression-less face, before he looked up. "They're almost here."

Vortex and Nocturne nodded, and with a smooth flow of energy they morphed. Instead of a towering mass of stars and black space, Nocturne was now about the same height as Clockwork. He had dark purple hair that was curved in the shape of his horns, and his red eyes were more human-shaped now. He wore a purple pin-striped sweater with a rolled collar, black fingerless gloves that showed off red-nails, and a pair of black slacks with his star pattern on it. He had on a pair of grey boots. His skin was a light lavender color, the color of just-fading dusk.

Vortex had also changed. He was just about the same height as Clockwork and Nocturne, though slightly shorter by a few inches. His skin was a leaf-green, and his eyes were also more humanistic now, though they were orange, not red. He had his black vest with his insignia on it, and low-riding black pants, held up by criss-crossing belts. He had spiked armbands on his upper arms, and black gloves that had sharp, pointed tips. He wore a pair of Gothic spiked boots. His hair was spiked upwards, save for his bangs, which fell into his face.

"Why did they turn human?" Reki asked, her eyes taking in their appearances. Clockwork finally smiled at her, petting her hair again.

"Because Daniel has only ever fought against them. Should he see an enemy, what other instinct would he have, except to flee?" Reki found no arguement in that, and turned to them. When Vortex created a tiny thunderstorm in his hand, her eyes widened and she leapt closer and giggled insanely as thunder roared from the miniature storm, making Vortex grin at her.

Clockwork looked back to the window at the top of the tower, where he sensed the approaching group. He then snuck a glance at a nearby podium, where a mechanical canister sat, slightly dented and humming with energy. Within this device was the greatest evil known to ghosts, and known well to Clockwork. It shook slightly, as though it had merged with the darkness inside and become a second skin to the creature within. It could sense its' light approaching, knew the light was faded, and knew its' chance was coming, to bid for freedom. Clockwork gave it a sharp look, and as if sensing the hostile glare the canister stopped, and was still. The Time Master sighed and looked to the Gear-Mirror that took up most of the wall.

_'I just hope this event does not end like its alternate was predicted_.'

End chapter two.

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>READ AND REVIEW<span>_**! Ooh, what does Clockwork mean by 'like its alternate was predicted'? What event does he mean? Did he know Danny was gonna be preggo? Why is Butch Hartman not making new episodes? What is the true purpose of canned cheese spray?

Hell, does anyone know how to answer these questions? No? Then stay tuned for the next chapter, aight?


	3. Chapter 3

YO! Hi there, people. What up, dawg?

Clockwork: I'd ask 'what?', but I already know.

Danny: Then explain it to me, because I don't understand.

Both of you, zip IT!

Ahem. Alright people, let's get story under way!

Chaptah!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>Danny's P.O.V.<p>

At first I was sure I was just dreaming again. Ever since those two bone-heads from the GiW caught me in their ghost-net, then dragged me to that awful labratory, I'd been dreaming of escape. I was dreaming the first time they experimented on me. When they cut open my chest, it hurt so bad, I ended up passing out.

I was in a pretty blue place, the trees were blue, the sky was blue, and my clothes too. I was sitting under a tree, curled up like I was napping, and there was someone there sitting beside me. I remember murmuring that made me laugh, and the person pressed our shoulders together. They were cold, and when I woke up, I was leaning against a metallic wall. I was in a room barely big enough to lay down in. There were no windows, and the only light came from an inch of space between the floor and door edge. I would come to adore that room as a haven. When I was in that room, everything else faded away to my dreams.

The second dream I had was after they hooked me to a machine that switched my ghost half and human half to the forefront. I screamed so hard, I think I let out a few Ghostly Wails. When it finally went dark, I was back in that orchard, except this time it was red. Scarlet, crimson, ruby, but I was still blue-hued. The person was there again, and was holding something to me. It looked like a little square rock, and it was tiny enough that I held it in one hand. I was pulled to my feet, and they led me to a river that flowed silently. The river was green, like the air in the Ghost Zone, but it made me feel so comfortable. The person held my shoulders close, my hands laying on their chest. I was so happy, but I couldn't figure out why.

When I finally snapped out of my dream, I was in the cell, a small box at my feet. Upon opening it, I found that it was a bowl of what resembled oatmeal, with some water next to it. The meal was slightly salted by my tears. I ended up breaking the box with my Ghostly Wail, but when I turned it on the wall, it did nothing, except maybe dent the metal a bit.

Over the next week, I was put through more tests, more painful and terrifying than anything I'd faced as the protector of Amity-Park. Every time I found myself in that world, it was always a different color, but I stayed the same, the figure was always hidden, and I was always worried that eventually I would be unable to wake up.

I think it was yesterday that they gave me that weird shot. It might still be today, but I couldn't be sure. After all, with no sun or moon to tell me the time, I wasn't even sure how long I had been in here. They said they had been researching the idea of ghosts having children, and that was understandable; when Clockwork made Box Lunch attack me, I was thoroughly creeped out at the idea of specters being able to bear children. But Clockwork assured me, it was as natural as humans bearing children. Though in the case of ghosts, either gender was able to bear, if the right conditions were met. The GiW injected me with something that would make an artificial womb, something I remember hearing about on TV. Women who had things wrong with their bodies were able to have children through someone else, using DNA. So, to sum it all up bluntly, they were going to see if I could be impregnanted. How fucked up.

When they explained it to me, as nastily as possible, I had flipped the fuck out. I Wailed at them, even after the door had shut, and resorted to pounding on the door until my fists bled. It never ceased to amaze me that my blood and ectoplasm were actually apart from each other until I got hurt, whereupon they'd mix. I tired out quickly, having had no sleep, and I collapsed onto the floor, curling up into a ball. I wished my dream-world would come to me. I wanted that stranger to hold me again, make me feel safe. I was in that state for a few moments, or maybe it was longer, I didn't know.

When the alarm went off, I thought for sure it was a drill. Drills meant all the GiWs' were to evacuate outside, leaving all cells locked down with the prisoners inside. I was going to be alone, left with nothing but the cries of terror from the other victims inside this hell-hole. Then I heard the panic. Loud voices, screaming for weapons and paperwork. Heh, I managed to sneer, they can never get anything done without those damn papers. They were getting louder, closer to my door, but then...

Silence.

A quiet that seemed louder than the chaos. I could hear my breathing, weakened but steady, and then - Footsteps. _Clack-clack-clack-clack-clack-clack_. Voices that were calm, familiar, but somehow, not entirely pleasant. Then the door opened, sliding open like the doors in Star Trek. And Skulker was standing in front of me. He grinned, the same grin I remember seeing whenever he hunted me back home. I knew then, that when I fell asleep, I'd never wake up. Would I get to see that figure again? Will I finally see their face?

I felt the world tilt away from my mind when, instead of cutting my head off, Skulker picked me up like a baby, cradling me gently. He turned and started walking away, and it was then I saw the numerous guards everywhere, unconcious and a little beat up, but thankfully none were dead. Technus was by Skulkers' side, shooting green electricity at the walls. Then, out of the wall to my right, Ember came phasing through, holding one of the 'doctor's lab coats. It took me a moment, before I realized I was nude, and I let her drape it around my body.

"Hey, ghost kid." She said quietly, and at that point I understood why people were so quick to fall under her spells; her voice was a soothing croon. She lifted her hand and brushed her palm over a cut on my cheek, exactly how my mom did. Maybe it was the fact that I was being treated gently. Maybe it was the memory of my family. Maybe I just had had enough and my mind was 'aw hell, why bother?' but the moment her hand made contact with my skin I broke down. My barrier came crashing down, and I pratically leapt into her arms crying. I felt so warm, wrapped in her arms, and I mentally face-palmed when I remembered she was a fire-type ghost. Of course she'd be warm.

Skulker snarled without warning and slammed his fist against the wall. It startled me bad, and, thinking that he'd spotted more guards, I whimpered and shrank against Ember. He looked apologetically at me, before it faded and he approached Ember, and I. He picked up Ember, technically picking me up as well, and nodded to Technus, who disappeared through the wall. A few minutes later, two guards came running around the corner, and I had to choke down a fit of laughter when the Box Ghost and Lunch Lady came through the wall and knocked them out. Seriously, who could've seen that coming?

After that, we were flying through the Ghost Zone, spirits and ghouls screaming and wailing at our presence. We were over a plain of glowing red sand when I finally fell asleep.

* * *

><p>When I woke up, it was to the sensation of someone stroking my hair, and the feeling of cool silky material covering my body. I frowned, my eyes still closed, and wrestled with the idea of going back to sleep.<p>

"That would not be very wise, child. After all, you must thank those who saved your life." The voice was not instantly familiar, and when I opened my eyes and looked up the face that greeted me was still not, until my eye caught the strangers'. Red eyes, purple hair curled in the shape of ram horns, and vampiric teeth curved in a sly smile.

Nocturne.

I jumped, shrieking, and nearly fell from the bed. Which, I may add, was luxurious. It was very large, a king, with dark green satin sheets and giant blue pillows. Nocturne caught my arm and settled me back onto the bed, smirking at me with silent laughter.

"N...Noctu-" I cut off into a coughing fit, and when my eyes opened again the ghost was holding out a glass of water to me. The smirk had disappeared, replaced by what almost looked like...worry? I dismissed it and drained the glass in one gulp. I held the glass, wondering why it looked odd, before I realized it was green-tinted instead of clear.

"It's a material only found here in the Ghost Zone, child." Nocturne said, taking the cup from me. He set it on the bedstand nearby and settled back onto the bed staring at me. I was more than a little freaked out by how human he looked right now. And how he seemed to be reading my mind.

"Uh, is there..." He perked up at the sound of my cleared voice. "Is there, like, a reason...for, y'know?" I waved my hand to him. If I offended him, my former enemy showed no emotion to it. In fact, Nocturne actually laughed, tossing his head back and sending the horn-curls bouncing.

"Oh child, you think as one and act as one, surely you aren't as unknowledgable as one?" I felt my eye twitch. Ghosts had the weirdest way of speech. "I chose this form because I thought it would be less frightening to you. Especially after what you went through." Nocturne said smiling. The expression disappeared as the ghost watched something behind my head, and I had the strongest feeling that if I turned my head, it'd be some horror film villain come to chop my head off. It wouldn't be too out of place right now.

As it was, I really wasn't sure what would happen, so I turned- and this time, I did fall off the bed screaming. While it had taken me a few moments to recognize Nocturne, I knew those glowing eyes and green skin anywhere. Vortex grinned down at me, but it wasn't evil. He almost looked...happy?

"GHOST CHILD!" He boomed, and thunder went off outside the window above the room. I held in a yelp as he jumped onto the bed and began bouncing. "I thought you'd never wake up! -wheeze- We were sure it'd be sooner! But I guess -wheeze- your injuries were worse than we though!"

I went wide eyed as I stripped the expensive-looking silk pajama shirt off and stared at my chest. There was a giant Y-shaped scar on my chest, and running over and around it were smaller scars, each one darker than the first. I felt my head spinning, and for a moment I was worried I would throw up on the nice bed. But then the sensation disappeared, and when I looked up Nocturne was holding his hand over my head, and instead of the familiar blue glow, his hand was glowing bright pink. The brighter his hand glowed, the less nausea I felt, until the feeling was completely gone.

"Oops..." I turned my head to Vortex, who didn't look apologetic in the least bit. "I didn't mean to -wheeze- _frighten_ you, boy." I resisted my immediate desire to punch him. "Now that you're awake, -wheeze-, we can go see the others!"

Before I could ask, _what others_?, Vortex caught my hand, hauled me from the bed, and took off from the room, Nocturne flying after us. My stomach felt as though I'd swallowed tar.

* * *

><p>READ AND REVIEW! Okay, now the stage is set! Everyone, let's get ready for next chapter!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Okay, now get started!

Danny: Nuh-uh. Not after what Clockwork told me would happen.

UNHOLY SPROCK! Clockwork, stop spoiling you troll!

Clockwork: Well, no need to be so offense.

GAH! ENOUGH! Clockwise and Dusk are not my OC's. They both belong to Miss xwocketx of Deviantart. Go look at her artwork. LOOK AT IT I SAY!

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>Danny gaped at the size of the hallway they were flying down, hanging from Nocturnes' shoulders. Vortex had relented hold and Danny, shaken from the sudden jolt from his comfort, had been offered a piggy-ride from the ghost of sleep.<p>

"It wasn't easy to heal you, child. You nearly faded at least three times." Danny had an inkling as to what 'faded' meant, but he was still curious enough to ask anyway.

"Faded?"

Vortex tilted his head, scratching his green hair in thought. "Faded. Y'know, like..." Vortex straightened up. "Like what you humans -wheeze- refer to as 'flat-lining'. That." The weather spirit smiled, as though proud of making such a reference.

Danny, on the other hand, had gone pale. Flat-lined. He had come close to becoming a ghost forever. He felt his feet thud against the ground, Nocturne having put him down and looking over him in concern. He swayed.

Then ran.

He heard Nocturne and Vortex call after him, but his legs didn't stop moving. He darted and turned, running through what he realized was Clockwork's castle. He slowed to a halt in front of a picture frame, gold-painted. It was of a ghost that resembled Clockwork, but with slight differences. There also seemed to be a regal air about him, even though it was an image.

"Clockwise. The first Time Keeper, as well as the previous Time Keeper who came before me." Danny turned at the familiar voice, and saw the one ghost he wanted to see the most. He tilted his head in confusion.

"Previous? As in, there was another Time Keeper before you? That's hard to imagine." Clockwork nodded.

"Just as Nocturne was not always the Spirit of Sleep, nor have I always been the keeper of time." His staff lit up and Danny then saw a painting nearby. It was of a figure who resembled Nocturne, but with a horned helmet that did not curl, instead gracefully curving upwards like a bull. He also had a very humanistic appearence, with straight black hair dropping down around his shoulders, and calm red eyes.

"This is Dusk. He was formally the Spirit of Sleep, and raised Nocturne in his footsteps. He loved to pester the Observants, to the point they called him a menace to the Ghost Zone, but Clockwise defended him. Dusk tended to dote on Nocturne, and was sometimes a bit scary when it came to my brother's safety." Danny nodded, and even after his brain had caught the last bit, it took a few more seconds to sink in.

"HUH? BROTHER?-!" Clockwork chuckled at the halfa's reaction.

"Startling, isn't it? But by all technical terms, Nocturne and I are brothers. Clockwise and Dusk tended to, ahem, 'cross each others paths', so to say, and I met Nocturne while on such an excursion." Clockwork smirked wistfully. "We were both hiding in the same tree, and after Clockwise and Dusk had passed out from their 'chat', we talked to each other and bonded until they woke up." Danny had paled, wondering how it was that such powerful spirits could behave like children at times. In front of their own kids, no less! Clockwork chuckled again.

"I am not the child of Clockwise, Daniel." Danny gave him a cross-eyed stare of confusion. "Though he was the one to raise me and teach me, Clockwise was not my parent. No one really knows where ghosts such as my self and my brother come from. Perhaps the Observants would know, given that they put Clockwise in charge of me, but if so we may never know." Danny was slightly put out; the Observants ruined everything with their hysteria and paranoia.

But to keep one's origins from them? That was downright cruel. Even if Clockwork seemed fine with it, it was now irking Danny to no end. A thought came to him suddenly; if Clockwise was the first Time Keeper, and Dusk the first Spirit of sleep, did that mean someday Clockwork and Nocturne would be replaced? A feeling of apprehension was building in Danny's stomach. He was still on edge about Nocturne, but Clockwork was his friend. He was a ghost Danny knew he could trust, and if he were to be replaced...

Clockwork was caught off guard as Danny grabbed him around the waist and held the ghost in a bear hug. "Daniel?" Danny responded by squeezing, startling the ghost. No one ever had given the Time Keeper such affection before, and it was awkward to one who was not used to having contact. There was the natural incentive to push Danny away, to reject the warmth. But, there was that matter still. After a few moments of awkward silence, Clockwork transferred his staff to his left hand, and used his right arm to hug the halfa back. Unseen by Danny or Clockwork, a faint silverish glow streamed along Clockworks' arm and into Dannys' back.

"I'm sorry." Danny finally pulled his face away from the glass casing and gave the ghost a confused look. "I saw you being captured and tortured. I knew what was going to happen. I should've stepped in. I should have-" The Time Keeper cut himself off with a sad look at the floor. It was quiet, until the Master of Time spoke again. "I can only hope you forgive me." For a moment, Danny could only stare.

Forgive? Why would he need to forgive Clockwork? If something had happened to stop Clockwork, then there was nothing the Time Keeper could have done anyway. Right? But, the only ones who could keep Clockwork in line were...

It was un-nerving, the look the boy was giving him. Then, Danny spoke, his voice cracked with barely hidden suspicion.

"Observants?" It was low, and it was only thanks to the quiet gloom in the hall that Clockwork caught the murmur. He nodded.

"I should've done...something." Danny tilted his head to stare at Clockwork's face. The ghost looked like he was in pain, so much so that when his ruby-colored eyes caught Danny's ice blue, Clockwork looked away first.

"...Can I go home soon?" The question was sudden, and Clockwork stared at Danny with a look of blankness. "I need to go home. My folks have got to be freaking out by now. And my friends too. Hell, I'm still freaking out."

Clockwork nodded and began leading Danny down the hallway again. They walked in silence, Danny trying not to think about the situation, and Clockwork more than over-thinking about it. Neither noticed how their hands had slipped together, or the faint iridescent glow around their palms. They reached the room where the Gear-Mirrors were, and Danny yelped and shrank behind Clockwork. Every ghost in the room (pretty much, any ghost Danny had ever faced) turned to them.

Skulker was the first to speak, holding a cup of green glowing...something. "Ah, Ghost Boy. I was about to go bursting into your room to wake you up. Can't have my prey sleeping for too long, after all." Danny gave him a flat look, to which Ember laughed.

"Hello, Child." Nocturne and Vortex were there, both holding the glowing liquid in goblets. The Sleep Spirit smirked as he watched Danny from his perch. "We thought you'd find Clockwork eventually. Vortex wanted to chase you, but I talked him out of it."

Danny did not move from his hiding place. He tried to imagine a ghost bigger and older than Nocturne, holding him and singing lullabies to make the ghost sleep. He was torn between gaping at the mental image, and laughing his ass off, which would raise a few eyebrows. He managed a "Thanks for that." and slowly Clockwork began to move into the room, humoring Danny who was hiding his face in the Time Keeper's cloak. Technus grinned and reached for the Ghost Boy, but pulled his hand back when the Lunch Lady waved a knife at him threateningly. Danny and Clockwork reached the portal that Danny knew was for him. He used it to come and talk to the master of time when he felt like it. On the way there, he peered out of the cloak, and a small canister caught his eye.

It was a Fenton Thermos, small and compact, silver metal and green technology lines. Inside this tiny container was his evil future alter ego. This Dan, as he was named, had lost his family in an accident, and had fused with Plasmius's soul, creating an entity which destroyed Amity-Park, and the world, at that. Dan was evil, but Danny also felt sorry for him. He'd lost everything he loved, become a creature bent on destruction, and was defeated by his alternate younger self and trapped inside the device he once used to protect.

It had a few more dents since the last time he'd seen it, but nothing seemed too out of place. If there was even the slightest hint that Dan was coming back, Clockwork would tell him, anyway. Right?

* * *

><p>It was now December, snow fresh on the ground, and Danny was dreading his life at this point. After he'd gotten back, his parents both scolded him, and made him promise to never take so long on a mission again. They didn't know about the GiW capturing him, and if things went his way for once, they'd never find out. The only ones he told were Sam and Tucker, and they knew everything except the part about him getting knocked up. Call it childish, but Danny was scared of their reaction, especially Sam. She might get mad enough to go after the GiW, possibly with a Fenton gadget, and though Danny was amazed by her tenacity when it came to fighting, he really didn't her to get arrested for assaulting someone.<p>

He breathed slowly, watching vapor trail from his lips, grateful that for once it wasn't blue. Though he did burn away his ice-power energy by freezing his foes, the blue mist never failed to appear along with his enemy. Frostbite had told him about cores, and how the core affected what power a ghost had. His core was actually two different elements. One half of his core was Frost, the power of ice that was found prominently in the Far Frozen territory. The other half was Flare, the fire power that was much more common in the Ghost Zone. Frostbite said he'd never encountered a being with two completely opposite core powers before, which would help explain why Danny seemed to continuously get stronger; with every crisis he faced, one half of his core would evolve to a stronger level, challenging the other core half to become stronger as well.

_"The cores needed to be in complete harmony at all times." The wolf-looking ghost had said. "If one were to become too much stronger than the other, it may cause that half to swallow the other half, completely dominating it, and the shock of that power taking over may upset your body enough to cause very unpleasant repercussions."_

_"Like what?" Danny asked, his eyes trained on the drawing Frostbite had made. It was of his cores, a brilliant bright blue diamond shape on the left, and a blinding green diamond on the right side of his body._

_Frostbite frowned. "If the shockwave is powerful enough, it might kill you completely." Danny had processed this for a moment, before screaming and falling over._

_"Y-You're kidding! Please tell me that was an awful joke you just told!" He begged, heart sinking when the ice ghost shook his head._

_"I will not lie to you, Great One. It is the truth. Balance is what keeps things alive. Just as humans must maintain balance, ghosts must have balance as well. Have you ever heard of yin and yang?"_

_Danny had, but only a little. He'd fallen asleep during the lecture, much to Lancers' chargrin._

_"Yin is the balance of light, whereas yang is the balance of dark. They circle each other constantly to keep order and balance, hence why the symbol is always a circle. However..." Frostbite trailed off. He picked up a burush and blotted black and white on the scroll he'd drawn Dannys' core on. "Even in light, there is a chance of darkness."_

_'Like Dan,' Danny thought._

_"But, just like I said, they balance out. Meaning that if there is a chance of darkness in light..." He dabbed a white spot on the black half. "There is also a chance for light in darkness." He turned to Danny. "Think of your core like this. Fire is destruction, black, but if it is controlled, it can be a good thing. Ice is pure, healing, white, but if it isn't controlled, it can freeze a life away and cause destruction just as bad as any fire."_

_Danny nodded, utterly amazed at the discussion. He had never even thought of his abilities like that. If that was true, then he'd really need to keep track of his powers._

Danny suddenly felt his fire half flare up(sorry, lame pun) and before he could react, his foot slipped and he went down hard on his leg. His head was spinning, his insides were twisting up like a coil of snakes, and he felt like his body would spontaneously combust right there in the street. Then, he managed to stand-

And ran into the alley nearby in time to throw up.

* * *

><p>READ AND REVIEW! Whew! So much stuff! Like I announced before, Dusk and Clockwise belong to Miss xwocketx on Deviantart. If you want more info on them, go see her pages on them.<p>

Ah, that core stuff I think I read somewhere else, but most of it I made up. Oh noes! Danny is sick? Le shock! Stay tuned for chapter five, people! And thank you for following me so far!


	5. Chapter 5

Chaptah! Upuhrodo!

Danny: Huh? What are you saying?

Eh? En-gu-ring-gush?

Danny: Stop saying things!

Clockwork: Ikageni, onegai.

Fine. (pouts)

Danny: What'd you say to her?

Clockwork: I told her to cut it out, please.

Danny: I don't get it.

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>Danny shivered hard under the soft comforter his mom had put on his bed. His ice core half froze his insides, while his fire core half boiled his skin like meat roasting on a spit. He had managed to stumble home, before falling on the floor in his house, to be discovered by his family. Jack had called the hospital, while Maddy and Jazz helped Danny up to his room, where he had resided for the rest of the week. The doctor had come in, treated him, and concluded a virus was messing up his body. So now, he had to wait for this virus to subside.<p>

_'I hope I can make it to the party on Christmas_.' Though Tucker and Sam weren't allowed to join him, Danny was at ease with his enemies at the annual party. The year before, he and Ember had sung a duet, ratherly poorly on his part, and he'd learned that the Lunch Lady was a grandmother now. He had never thought of the lives of the ghosts before they died, or how their families were now. He often delivered messages to the families that still lived in Amity-Park, and it was usually followed by either the GiW attacking him, or some nameless ghost trying to kill/maim/eat him. Very normal, surprisingly.

He shuddered harder, clinging to his blankets like a life-line. He breathed in and out slowly, not wanting to have his sheets either freeze solid, or go up in green flames. Because, y'know, that would downright SUCK.

"So, it's true." Danny felt a mass on his bed, and when he peeked out from his blancket cave, he saw Sam sitting next to him. Tucker was standing at the foot of his bed. The Goth girl was giving him a concerned look, reaching for him, before he pulled the covering over him once more. "Danny-"

"No Sam. I'm not in control of my powers right now, and I don't want to hurt you guys." Tucker walked around and stared at Danny while leaning against the wall. Tucker had grown about two feet now, and his voice had deepened a little, no longer high and squeaky. He had grown his hair out a bit and had it corn-rowed down to the bottom of his earlobes. He still wore his traditional hat.

Sam also had matured. She had grown out, and though she still wore black, she had developed a liking of black and red, the colors of her hoodie and pleated skirt she was wearing currently. Her hair was longer, braided with a skull bow pin at the end.

It wasn't widely known, but after dating for a while Danny and Sam had realized that while they cared deeply for each other, they just couldn't get past the occasional kiss on the lips or cheek. They had decided not to go steady, and though it was a bit awkward in the beginning, Sam realized she could now play matchmaker for her best friend.

"Dude, you look like you just saw Vlad naked or something." Tucker joked, expression dropping when Danny flew out from under the covers in time for him to vomit into the wastebasket. "I...was joking..." The young Mayor muttered blankly. Sam rubbed Danny's shoulder through the blancket, wishing they could help their friend.

"Never...mention that...again." Danny demanded from his position staring into his trashcan. Tucker gave a weak chuckle. "Ugh, now that I've barfed up my guts, I'm going to hide in my blankets until this virus is gone." He made to do just that, before being picked up and slung over Sam's shoulder. Another thing to mention: Sam had gotten very strong while hunting ghosts. She now could hold her own against the Lunch Lady, and was a master at flipping Technus into any available nearby surface.

"Oh no you don't. You're coming downstairs to get something back in your stomach, THEN you can sleep." Rather than attempt to argue, and not wanting to end up puking on his best friend, Danny just nodded and settled more comfortably on her shoulder. For some reason, since returning from Clockwork's castle, he had the appetite of a rabbit, but his stomach was now starting to bulge out a bit. He ignored the obvious (and downright impossible) reason, and surmised it was being locked up for so long.

* * *

><p>Reki gaped at what Clockwork had just told her. It was impossible, improbable, illogical even! But Clockwork NEVER lied to her, even if he were to be punished for it, and that meant that his words were truth.<p>

"B-But...Does he know?" The ghost swerved away from her, not meeting her eyes. The answer was obvious. "But, Master Clockwork, if he doesn't know, what does that mean for us? For him? For-" A loud BANG! caught her off-guard, and she looked over to where the canister was shaking. Without warning, it shook again, and Reki heard, for the first time, a voice resound deep within it.

_"I feel it, Time Keeper..."_ She shuddered and backed away from the container; a horrible feeling was emanating from it, a feeling of darkness that made her want to puke. _"I feel him, Time Keeper...Let me out...LET ME OUT!"_ The voice roared, the canister vibrating from the evil entity's will.

Then the most impossible scene happened: Clockwork strolled up to the thermos, picked it up- and shook it like a child shakes a can of soda for a prank. Reki winced as a horrible screeching welled up from the metallic container, filling her ears with pain. She clamped her hands over her ears, and waited as the Time Master kept at this for nearly two minutes, where upon the shaking stopped, and so did the noise. Either the voice had become sick from the motion, or it had passed out.

"Master...Clockwork...What was that?-!" Reki had never raised her voice to the Time Keeper, but after that display...

"That, my dear, was an entity known as 'Dan Phantom'. He is the combination of Daniel's ghost half fused with Plasmius' ghost half." Reki backed away from the thermos, giving it a horrified stare. She had faced down with Vlad once before, and she would not have survived, if Sam hadn't thrown a gong at the psycho's head.

"FRUITLOOP?-!-?-!" Clockwork actually flinched from the high octave of her voice. "But how? Why? WHAT?" She was growing more confused and frustrated by the moment, and the Time Keeper sighed.

"I will explain in a few moments. But first, Reki, I must ask of you a favor..." The witchling gave Clockwork a concerned look, before it melted into a determined one.

* * *

><p>Danny yawned, biting his spoon handle by accident, and getting a toothache as a result. He winced, pulling the metal from his mouth and using his tongue to feel the crack on his teeth that instantly vanished. Ever since the Phantom Planet epidemic, his powers had gotten weirder, including his healing abilities which had gotten so strong he now was healing as soon as any damage was recieved.<p>

"Danny?" Sam was giving him a look, which was a cross between 'you-will-tell-everything' and 'if-you-don't-i-will-bite-your-head-off-literally'. Kinda scary.

"Tired. And I don't feel like eating a whole three pounds of organic spinach." He wrinkled his nose at the plant which sat in its sad little bowl. He pushed the bowl back, two-thirds is better than nothing, right? He stood and walked over to where his mother was cooking some bacon and eggs in the same skillet. He never figured out how she did it, or if it was just a 'mother-thing'.

"Hi sweetie. Would you like some?" She asked, kissing the top of his head. Danny smelled the frying meat, and spun away to cast off the nausea he felt trying to over-come him. He shook his head, racing back to the table, and hurriedly gulping down some water.

"I'd love some, Mrs. F." Tucker eagerly held out his plate, and Sam and Danny both gagged as she put at least half of it on his plate. He wandered over to the other two, and began to noisily scarf down his meal.

"So, any new ghost sightings yet?" Maddie asked, eyes trained on the food. A mother never lets the food for her family get ruined.

"Not yet. Mostly just the Box Ghost." Tucker replied, licking his lips. Maddie hummed thoughfully.

"Isn't that the one who yells his name when he appears?" After the world saw the ghosts saving it, questions had flown high and low for answers. Working together, the trio had come up with an encyclopedia of sorts, which had all known ghosts inside. First, the ghosts were arranged by the color of their skin. Then, by how strong they were. And finally, each had a picture, stats, and ranking of how dangerous it was. Naturally, the Box Ghost was in the blue section, the first tab, and ranked 'not dangerous. simply walk away if sighted'.

"Yup. So basically, no warning bells." Sam said with a smirk. She thought it funny that Danny had written, among the captions, 'if you are bored, mention a travelling salesman' to Box Ghost. watch results'. It was awful, but watching the Box Ghost flip out was pretty funny.

"Yet." Danny muttered, stuffing a leaf of spinach in his mouth. After the smell of salt and fat, the vegetable was a welcome distraction. He vaguely wondered how Reki was faring with Clockwork. He and the others had been mapping out unknown regions of the Ghost Zone for Frostbite, when they had entered Ancient China and found Vlad waiting for them(_no this is not the infinite realms episode, but it IS before Phantom Planet_) Vlad had been about to capture Sam and Tucker, when a girl, no older than twelve, had crashed into the vampiric ghost, sending him into a wall. Danny had picked her up and ran with the others close behind. Reki was a witchling, and had just run away from the Academy, an awful place full of bloodshed and darkness. She didn't want to become a Dark Witch, and so, she had run away, and had been pursued by guards. Reki said if they helped her, she'd help stop Vlad.

They had doged Vlad all throughout China, before he switched and attacked Tucker. Reki had defended the black boy, creating a shield of magic, which was burst when Vlad got inside and destroyed her wand. Without the source of her powers, Reki and Tucker were defenseless before Sam, thinking quickly, grabbed an iron shield and frisbee'd it at Vlad, knocking him unconscious.

Ever since then, Reki had stayed in the Ghost Zone, unable to go to the human world, where even without her wand, her powers would give off enough energy for her to be found. Besides, somehow, she was able to stand Clockwork's quirkiness. She almost seemed to find it...fun.

Danny shivered as his cores gave a tug, trying to force him up on his feet to go somewhere. Trust your instincts... His nearly got him killed on a daily basis, so, no thanks. Another tug, more painful, and a sudden thought. '_Clockwork_? _Oh, he might know what's going on_!' Another tug, as though his core was saying 'well, DUH.'

He stood, and nodded to Sam and Tucker.

"I'll be back in a little bit, Mom. I'm going to go visit one of my ghost friends." She waved to him with the spatula, and after stepping outside, he changed and went soaring into the sky.

* * *

><p><em><strong>READ AND REVIEW<strong>_! The ghost-dictionary is something I thought would be cool. See a ghost? Look it up! Fascinating...

Reki's past is different here, but it had to be modified to fit the story. Also, if your a fan of mine by now, you may have noticed she's more docile in this story. Reki's tired from working five different stories, so she'll be like that for a while.


	6. Chapter 6

Everyone! MINNA! Let's get ready!

Danny: Everything is starting in this chapter, huh?

Reki: Geez. Hurry up so I can get back and tell Cham he's pregnant.

You guys are so enthusiastic.(note: sarcasm)

Yaheil Yunatz is a random Observant OC. I need him in the story. Don't complain.

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>"Clockwork?" Danny called, floating through the castle hall. The castle was easy to find, but to the halfa's surprise, he had not once been attacked by a ghost.<p>

He wandered around until he found himself back at the hall in which most of the portraits were. He again saw the paintings of Dusk and Clockwise, but now, thanks to his ghostly glow, he saw many other paintings. He saw one of what looked like a baby Nocturne, clutching a rock that was painted to look iridescent. Another was of Clockwork sleeping, and Danny fought to keep his giggles down when he saw the painter had made a drool mark on the baby Time Keeper's cloak collar.

He then saw a painting of a ghost he'd never seen before; it was a young man, solemn in appearance, but with a kindness in his eyes that Danny knew no human artist could ever capture. He had calm green eyes, dark green hair in a feathery style that looked impossible for a human to have, and leaf-green skin. Danny's eyes widened when he realized that this man was an Observant, and he knew it was an Observant because of the clothes he wore. There was a tiny plaque underneath the portrait, and Danny held his hand close to read.

'Yaheil Yunatz. As close a friend as an Observant could be. Surprisingly, very much.'

Danny didn't hold back his laughter anymore. Clockwork had a way with words, but he sure didn't write like it. After recovering from his giggle-fit, Danny wandered down the hallway by foot, seeing more human-looking Observants, which he realized differed from Observants by more than just appearance. Clockwork actually held them in regard, almost as equals, which meant he didn't see them as Observants like he did the others. Danny then came upon a woman ghost, who looked like she was made of ice. The plaque below her read _'Tundra. The woman of ice, with a heart of warm gold._' Danny blinked, then squinted his eyes. Was it just him, or was Tundra wearing a shard of ghostly ice as a pendant? There was a tiara of ice on her snow-white hair as well, making her look regal. Danny's jaw dropped when his mind came to a halt. That would mean that she was a Far-Frozen! Danny realized he was staring at one of the original rulers of the Ghost Zone.

He stood there, awkwardly, then bowed slightly. "Uh, hi there, Miss Tundra. I'm, uh, I'm Danny Phantom! I protect the Ghost Zone and Human World." He rubbed his head, feeling stupid for talking to a painting. "I've, uh, I've talked with Frostbite. He's a Far-Frozen too. He and the others are doing, uh, doing pretty well, I guess?" Danny felt foolish, expecting there like the woman was going to lean out of the painting and say 'Well, that's good to hear.' Then again, that would rank pretty normal for the Ghost Zone, in all honesty.

After a few moments, in which nothing happened, he began to walk away, only to catch a noise. He stood still, and a deep baritone murmur was heard to his left. He recognized it as Clockwork's voice. After a moment, he heard a high-pitched voice, which had to be Reki. He began to fly in the direction he heard them coming from, and found himself in front of a door that was slightly cracked. He peered through, and saw Reki standing next to Clockwork. Or rather, standing behind him, as the ghost was facing away from her.

"But he needs to know! He has every right to! And you need to tell him!" Reki was very upset, judging from her state of dress. When Reki became upset, or agitated, her clothes would wrinkle, stain, and tear, expressing her emotions. Of course, when she fought, her clothes would harden and become almost like steel, unbreakable.

"It isn't in my best interest to be the one to say so. And besides, Fentons are notorious for causing chaos when upset." Fentons? Did he mean Danny? Why were they talking about him?

"But he needs to know! If he doesn't, he and the child could get hurt! It's on your head this time, Master." Reki finally snapped, shrieking and jumping back as Clockwork swung his staff at her.

Danny's eyes widened at the display. As far as anyone could tell, Clockwork had never become cross with Reki. Certainly never enough to make him attack her. If it was this serious, then whatever Clockwork wasn't telling, Danny need to kno-

Wait.

Reki had said 'he and the child'. The child...

Danny stuffed his fist into his mouth to keep his scream in, and he turned around to slide down the wall. He sat there, his head spinning. He was already pregnant. How was it even possible? The GiW had been stopped before they created a sperm to fertilize the egg. Danny had been rescued by the ghosts before that happened, so how had he- Then the answer slapped him in the face, as though instead of Reki, the ghost had swung at him and caught Danny in the cheek with his staff.

Clockwork.

* * *

><p>Reki jumped as the door flew open with a bang, Danny having kicked it in. His eyes were burning green with rage.<p>

"D-Danny..." She whispered while trembling from his aura wave. Clockwork had not turned around, choosing to stare at a Gear-Mirror that was completely dark.

The halfa growled low in his throat. "Hello, Daniel." Danny snarled wordlessly. Reki climbed up into the ceiling-shafts, knowing full well that the two were about to dissolve into battle.

"I was wondering when you'd come in. I heard you waiting outside the door since you arrived." Danny swatted a gear piece at him, which calmly deflected; Danny gritted his teeth, his body burning.

"How could you?" It was only three words, but it was enough to make the Time Keeper turn and face him. By now, though, Danny was facing the ground. "You knew what would happen to me, but there were never any Observants, were there! You WANTED this to happen!" Danny looked up to reveal tear-filled eyes. The one ghost he placed more trust and respect to, had lied to him. "You made this happen! You-! You-!" Clockwork was expressionless, staring at Danny blankly. "ARGH!" Danny launched himself at the ghost, trying to tackle him, but Clockwork dodged, and it was only when Danny turned that he realized the Time Keeper was not using his staff; Clockwork was not going to fight back.

"FIGHT ME!" Danny screamed, shooting a powerful Ecto-Blast from his right fist, crouched for when Clockwork looped around to hit him back. But that was not what happened; Clockwork twisted over the beam, and flew away, to the opposite side of the room. Reki's whimpers drifted down from the ceiling, and Danny's instincts made him look up to her. This gave Clockwork an opening, and he dived at Danny, pinning the halfa to the floor.

"Listen to me-" The ghost started, but was cut off by Danny head-butting him in the throat. Clockwork backed away choking, and Danny stood, his mind split in several directions.

What was he supposed to do? He wouldn't be able to go home after this; he couldn't go to school (he'd be found out immediately. He couldn't tell anyone about it, they'd either laugh and think he was lying, or want to use him for an experiment. He couldn't go back to his life.

"I hate you..." He uttered, finding a small satisfaction when Clockwork flinched. When the Time Keeper tried to approach him, Danny flew into a rage, not even using his powers; he beat Clockwork's chest, pounding the glass casing mercilessly as he screamed "I HATE YOU!" over and over. Clockwork simply took it, letting Danny hit him as much as he needed to. The words stung worse than any wound he could receive from the halfa.

Reki watched as, for an entire ten minutes, Danny screamed how much he despised Clockwork, pounding his fists until they bled. After Danny could no longer feel his hands, Clockwork slowly pulled the boy into an embrace. Danny screamed again, but couldn't fight any longer; his fists were bruised, his energy low from the fight. He let Clockwork's inner clock ticking lull him down.

"I'm sorry." Just like before, Clockwork was apologizing. But this time was different; Danny looked up in shock when he realized the Time Keeper was shaking, and leaned back when he saw the crystal-pink tears flowing from the ruby-colored eyes. "I can't even tell you how sorry I am, Daniel, but believe me when I say I'm in as much pain as you are."

Danny's eyes shrank, and he flailed in panic. "NO! You're lying, just like before! Let me _go_! You _LIAR_!" Reki flew down from her perch, watching as Clockwork tightened his grip on the halfa.

"It's the truth, Danny." The boy stopped, staring in shock at her. "We hadn't even realized what was going to happened, because Clockwork's Far-Sight Mirror was broken." She pointed to the blank Gear-Mirror from before. "Without it functioning, Clockwork can't see anything. He wasn't aware of your capture until the day after." Danny looked almost comical, his eyes wide as dinner plates, with his pupils as small as pinpoints. "When we finally had enough info on where you were, we sent the ghosts to rescue you, but we hadn't known about the experiment until Technus gave us the files he downloaded from the base."

Danny turned his head to see Clockwork's face, wet with tears, and gave him a long look. "Is...Is that true?"

The Time Keeper nodded. "Time Keepers, Sleep Spirits, and all other such ghosts are not allowed to have partners or families. It is believed that such things are a distraction. It is strictly prohibited by the Observants, and as consequence, the partners and children must either be erased or separated." Danny scowled; Were the Observants against everything, even happiness?-! "Daniel, I hadn't realized what had happened until after you left."

Danny gave him a confused look, until Reki spoke up. "The GiW thought they needed a sperm to make a fetus, but with ghosts it's different. When compatibility is found, all mates have to do to procreate is mix energy signatures."

The way the halfa's eyes widened further, Reki was worried his eyeballs were going to pop. "You mean, all I had to do was be _near_ Clockwork, and I'd get pregnant?"

Reki gave him a nervous smile. "Pretty much, yup."

Danny gave a whine of despair as he fell on his knees. Or was guided to, as Clockwork still had a grip on his waist and shoulders. "I can't...I can't have a kid! I don't know how to take care of one!" He began to hyperventilate. "I can't raise a kid on my own."

Clockwork was the one to snarl this time; and it shocked both Reki and Danny into silence. Of course, that might have been due to Clockwork grabbing Danny's shoulders to make the boy face him. "Why do you think you will raise it alone, Daniel?" Danny's face slid into a blank expression. "The child is also mine, and unlike a human would, I do not intend to let either my mate or offspring live in unfavorable conditions." Reki gasped when she realized what Clockwork was saying.

Danny looked upset, but only slightly. His expression held more confusion than sadness. "But, I thought the rules were-"

Clockwork cut him off by pulling Danny up and pressing the boy's head against his shoulder. His other arm went back around Danny's waist. "I will protect you and our child, Daniel. Make no mistake of that. If the Observants want a fight, then I'll take on a hundred of them." Danny's eyes watered again, but not from being upset; he knew Clockwork was telling the truth, and he knew Clockwork would do everything he could to help Danny.

He hugged Clockwork, pressing his face deep into the cloak, catching a small scent of lavender and rain. He smiled, inhaling the scent as much as he could. Clockwork always made him feel safe, and he knew it was because he would always keep his oath to protect Danny. He curled into the Time Keeper, who pulled his cloak around the halfa's shoulders.

Reki smiled at them, glad that Clockwork and Danny were on the same page. She glanced at the calendar she had pinned up nearby and frowned. Christmas was fast approaching.

What would happen then?

* * *

><p>READ AND REVIEW! I had to rewrite this chapter, because my computer HATES ME. But, now Danny has to worry about new stuff! Oh Noes! D:<p>

Everyone, stay tuned for the next chapter!


	7. Chapter 7

I really wanted to make Clockwork say 'SCREW THE RULES!' last chapter.

Danny: That wouldn't make sense. That's from another series completely.

Clockwork: Although the readers would get the joke, it would turn this into a parody fic, or something.

Ah, really? Shoot, and here I thought it'd be funny.

Ah well. Here comes the interesting chapter. Everyone get ready!

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>Danny sighed, pulling his robe tighter around his body. It was a special, silk-like substance, made by Reki especially for him. The robe would help to 'filter' his core powers so that the random fluxes of ice and heat would not harm the child. The robe itself was white, with white fur around the collar, cuffs, and around the bottom. Though it weighed less than a tissue, it was immensely warm, and cool, alternating between each when his cores flared up.<p>

He pulled a small amount of hair in his face and sighed; his hair was really shaggy now, and kinda reminded him of his evil self. He didn't want to tie it back though; that would be far too much like Dan. The halfa's eyes drifted to where the canister sat. He had tried, secretively, to talk to Dan, but the alternate evil version of himself never answered. He had debated on asking Clockwork, but after the first week of living with Clockwork, he decided it might not be the best after all. The Time Keeper had created several 'fail-safe' measures, which consisted of child-proof locks, padded furniture in the rooms, and the Gears in his viewing room were to slow to a non-lethal speed when a form got too close. To say the ghost had gone manic was an understatement, but something it was kind of sweet, at least to Danny. Reki had taken one look at the room, called Clockwork 'nutty than a squirrel's lunch box' and hid away in the library.

After they had all calmed down, Reki created a line to the Human World, and when Danny answered it, the person on the other side was his mother. That had been an awkward conversation, resulting in him breaking down and telling her everything - the GiW, the tests, the experiment, him and Clockwork, everything. She had remained silent on the other end for the longest time, before she sighed. She told Danny she was so upset that he'd gone through that, without telling her anything, and the next time she saw a GiW she was going to blast them in the arse. She then said she'd cover for him, as long as he needed, but when the baby was born, she demanded pictures and a visit. She told him that if he felt it was getting to be too much, she was always there to listen to him. Danny smiled at the memory. Mothers always knew how to handle children, and she told him it would be no different for him when he confided that fear; what if he didn't know how to take care of his own child?

"All a mother has to do is listen. Even as babies, children know how to tell their mothers what they need." She had said, telling him about when he had been stung by a hornet, and was crying too hard for anyone to figure out why. Maddie had pulled him into her lap, and waited until Danny had calmed down to show her the stinger embedded in his palm. She pulled it out with tweezers, and made sure to keep him indoors for a while.

Danny was slightly reassured by her words; even if he couldn't figure out what his child needed, he'd just listen until he did know.

Of course, mentioning pictures also made him realize that he needed to think of a name; he couldn't just keep calling it 'child'. He had gone to the library, and proceeded to watch Reki attempt to sort through the section of books about the ocean, without falling from the ladders that she swore were trying to kill her.

"They move on me, I swear!"

Danny barely held his snort in as Reki flailed on the wooden steps, and glanced back at the canister next to him once more. After debating about _that_, he had taken the thermos and had developed the habit of carrying it around. If Dan was ever awake, he did not speak to Danny, but somehow, the halfa could feel Dan's presence inside, like the feeling that the evil specter was somehow watching him from inside the thermos. Clockwork had seen Danny holding the thermos on the fourth day, and had given him only that mysterious smile he was famous for.

* * *

><p>It was now December 24th, and both Danny and Reki were currently in the library, both reading books. Reki was hanging by her legs upside from the ladder used to get higher-up books, and Danny was currently lost in Beowulf.<p>

"Hey, check this out." Reki had managed to scuttle downwards without falling. She had a psychology book in her hands. "In the infant stage of life, babies have been recorded to respond to their mother's voice as soon as their ears are fully developed. Their mother's voice is the first true sound a baby records in its mind."

"Huh." Danny said, glancing down at his stomach. Thanks to Clockwork heavily monitoring his diet, Danny had recovered his health, and filled out in his arms and legs to the point he simply looked a little pudgy. He wore the robe to further hide his stomach, should anyone come round and find out. Danny wondered when his child would start responding to him. Would it kick, like a human baby? Would it move around, trying to gain its bearings? Would he be able to stand it? That was actually a tough question. While Danny was content now with the fact that he was going to have a child, he wondered if when he felt it move, what his reaction would be. Hopefully he wouldn't be freaked out.

"Also, the mother's voice is the first thing a baby imprints on, while the second is her face after birth." Danny blinked. He wondered if his baby would be afraid of him being half-ghost, half-human. Afterall, the town's people had flipped the lid when they first saw him flying around. He then mentally face-palmed; why would his child have any opinion of him other than 'mommy'?

Without warning, the canister began to rattle, but to Reki's surprise, Dan was silent. Danny acted without thought; he swept the thermos into his hands and held it close.

"Dan! Stop it!"

To the shock of them both, the canister did just that: stopped. Both witchling and halfa continued to stare for nearly five minutes, before Reki spoke. "What the unholy sprock?"

Danny held the canister close, trying to feel Dan's presence, but finding no response when he prodded with his energy.

"Reki? Daniel?" Both looked up as Clockwork entered the room. "Ah, here you are. I've been looking for you."

Reki scuttled back up the ladder and hung by her legs once more. "Well, we're here, Master. Whatcha need?" Danny snickered at her lazy response and turned a smile to Clockwork, who mirrored him.

"Well, I am fully aware that you two have not left the castle since Danny came here to stay." He turned his eyes to Reki with a mischievous smirk. "Though you are aware, Reki, that you can come and go as you please?"

She waved her hand carelessly. "And leave Danny to your mercy? As if."

Instead of sighing in exasperation, Clockwork only seemed to smile wider. It put Danny on edge, a little. "Well, I know of the Annual Truce Party held to all ghosts in the Ghost Zone. And..." He waited until both had their full attention on him. "I've decided to open the castle as the location for this year's party, in celebration."

There was a moment of stunned silence, before Reki took to the air with a shriek of joy, and Danny launched himself at Clockwork, locking his arms around the ghost's neck in a hug.

"Thank you." He uttered, before kissing Clockwork on the cheek.

There was a shocked silence, before Reki suddenly gave a rather perverted whoop. "Gettin' saucy in the library!" Danny blushed and backed away, glaring at the witchling who spun madly in the air laughing. Clockwork, meanwhile, was holding his cheek where Danny's lips had pressed down, feeling the skin there a tad warmer than usual. He then looked up to see Danny chasing Reki on foot with a regular broom, trying to whack her out of the air.

_'How interesting_...' He thought. He'd never felt a reaction like that before. Then again, he'd never really had anyone around before, had he? He blinked, then realized he was just a bit light-headed, and took off his glove to feel his cheek. He was positively _burning_. He made a confused expression. _'Is this a reaction from Daniel_?' He thought, watching as both Reki and Danny played.

Well, if it was, it was decidedly a nice reaction.

A few hours later found Danny in the bedroom Clockwork had prepared for him. The bed mattress was made of something wonderfully soft, and was kind on his back. The sheets were dark blue, with the pillows being green, and there was a large mirror on one side of the room. He settled the thermos into one of the pillows, which already had an indention from bearing the weight of the container, and went to the nightstand. He sat down and began to brush his hair, which was now cut in a feathery style he'd seen once back in the Human World. Reki was really good with hair, but when she offered to dye it blue he'd refused. He sat there for a few moments, brushing and humming a song softly, when the thermos began to rattle again, this time accompanied by a hissing noise, which, if he concentrated hard enough, Danny could make out some words that weren't worth repeating. He stood and walked over to the canister, and touched it without picking it up.

"Dan Phantom, you stop that right now! You are NOT going to throw a temper tantrum! How old are you again?" He snapped, feeling a little embarrassed that he was scolding his adult self. Once again, to his shock, the rattling died down, and he heard a small dark grumble. "Good. Now, if you behave, I might convince Clockwork to stop shaking you." If Dan had heard him, the specter didn't reply, which frustrated Danny for some reason. He sighed and went back to brushing his hair. After a few moments he stopped and went to the bathroom, brushing his teeth before washing his face vigorously. Just because he was yet to be hit by the horrible 'acne problem' that most teenagers had to go through, it didn't mean he wasn't at risk. He was just lucky Sam had balanced out his diet with her organically grown produce.

After he finished, Danny climbed into bed, careful not to disturb the thermos, and snuggled down into the thick comforter. He sighed, smiling as he thought about the party, and before he knew it he was dreaming of lights and food and laughter.

* * *

><p>"HEY! Ghost kid!" Danny looked up to see Ember dragging an uncomfortable-looking Skulker over to where the halfa was curled up, on one of the couches Clockwork had put in the main room. He was sipping a cup of cider, brought by Reki from the Human World, because Clockwork had been adament about Danny having unhealthy drink or food.<p>

"Hey Ember, Skulker." He stretched slightly, clinking his glass edge against both of theirs. "How are you two? Enjoying the party?"

"As well as we can." Ember said, taking a gulp of her drink. Her hair burned brightly, even with the numerous lights strung around the room. "Your witchy friend is pretty good with the tunes." The rockstar said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder. Reki was control several different keyboards, all set to different sounds, and she was making essentially techno remixes of various holiday and dance songs. She was currently arguing with Technus, who wanted to see how well he could influence her control over his.

"By the way, I heard a rumor." Ember said, before pointing to him. "That you're knocked up?"

It went silent in the room. Reki had let go of the keyboards, the music freezing with a scratching noise. Danny had been afraid of this. Ember wasn't the type to be subtle. Slowly, he set down his glass and stood, his stomach bulging outward. He hung his head, his face burning, when suddenly something hard rammed into his side, squeezing the life out of him.

"CONGRATS, BABY-MOMMA!" Ember cheered, hugging him tighter. After recovering from the initial shock, Danny was confused. "It's rare that a baby is born in the Ghost Zone, so when it happens, it's a big event." She explained. "And..." She squeezed him harder. "I better be an Auntie, got it?" Danny tried not to laugh as he nodded, and Ember finally released him. She then knelt down with Danny's left hand in hers, and what looked like a rune circle appeared under their feet.

"I, Ember Mclain, solemnly vow to see the successful birth of the child of Daniel Phantom. I pledge to use my afterlife to protect both mother and child. I shall not allow any harm to come to them." The glow faded, and with it a small amount of weight on Danny's shoulders vanished as well. He had been fretting over the reactions of the ghosts, and whether they'd still be enemies. But Ember's vow was a relief to the halfa.

To his surprise, after Ember stepped back, Skulker repeated the vow, and Danny found out his name was Richard Skulker. Then, both Johnny 13 and Kitty pledged the vow, followed by Technuc (Nicolai), Nocturne and Vortex who were in their human forms again. Even UnderGrowth pledged the vow, though he did not touch Danny to do so. Which was fine with the halfa, as the plant ghost might've accidentally jabbed him with one of the numerous thorns covering his body.

"HEY! Isn't this a party? Quit being all solemn-y and dance!" Reki shouted after the Box Ghost and LunchLady finished their vows, making the room quiver with laughter. The witchling then tuned in to what sounded like a mash-up between All I Want For Christmas, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, and Silver Bells. Danny shrieked as he was suddenly spun around and dipped low. It was Technus, who gave him a toothy grin. Danny glared half-heartedly and smacked the genius on the shoulder, only making Technus laugh and pull him up. Over the next three songs, which were fast-paced and manic, the halfa danced with Technus, Kitty, Ember, Vortex (who spun him rapidly enough that Danny fell into the weather ghosts' arms), and surprisingly enough, Skulker. (Who knew that, for a robot, he had such good reflexes?)

Suddenly, the music slowed down, and Danny heard a soft crooning coming through.

'I'm in heaven when you kiss me, show me how you miss me

Take me with you, back to wonderland'

Clockwork was by his side, gently taking hold of Danny's hands, and then they were twirling slowly, waltzing across the floor which was suddenly devoid of dancers. After looking around, Danny realized the ghosts were letting the couple have this dance to themselves, and after Reki gave them a thumbs up, Danny turned back to the Time Keeper with a smile. They twirled and looped, spun and stepped, not fast like Technus had done, but something shy and new and slow. Danny smiled as Clockwork spun him by the hand and the halfa gave a graceful pose, one leg crossed behind the other and held up a bit.

'One touch from you, I'm on fire

Your touch is all I desire

One look and you take me higher.'

Danny slid his feet across the floor, matching Clockwork's stride. It was then that he noticed that Clockwork actually had legs. He had on a pair of pants the same shade as his tunic, and black boots with watches clamped around his ankles and his calves. He moved gracefully, as though he were floating, and Danny felt his face turn pink as Clockwork gave him smile that made the halfa feel butterflies in his stomach.

'You know that I'm hypnotized

Each time I look in your eyes

You know I couldn't disguise

And I couldn't resist

Every time that we kiss.'

The song was coming to an end, and now they were swaying back and forth, Clockwork holding his mate close. Danny was resting his cheek against the ghosts' shoulder, smelling that ever-familiar scent of lavender and rain. They pulled away and stared at each other with smiles. They began to lean in as the song drew to a close.

'You know that I'm hypnotized, each time I look in your eyes

You know I couldn't disguise, and I just can't resist,

Everytime that we-'

Without warning, Danny's body jolted, and he backed away from Clockwork just as their lips were to meet. Reki was shocked by the event, and the music once again screeched to a halt. The ghosts began murmuring in confusion and concern. At first thinking he'd done something, Clockwork watched as Danny began looking around with a fearful gaze, shivering like mad.

"Daniel-" Clockwork started, reaching for the boy, when a very loud BANG! made everyone look to the doors. Walker stood beside two Observants, a dozen guards behind them. The Observants were giving Clockwork stares of disgust and rage, and Danny pressed up against the Time Keeper fearfully.

Walker grinned that sneering grin that every ghost hated. "Party's over."

* * *

><p>READ AND REVIEW! Ah? I ruined the party? Walker is breaking Truce? What just happened? Haha, you'll have to find out next time! Suckers!<p>

The song I used for Danny and Clockwork's dance is I'm In Heaven When You Kiss Me by ATC. Very nice, mellow song, and I thought it fit.


	8. Chapter 8

DING DONG! *crashes into a wall*

Danny: Who gave you sugar again?

Clockwork: Actually it's energy drinks she's banned from.

You're both wrong! But also right!

Danny: How does that work?

In a way you don't understand.

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>Reki screeched and back-flipped, summoning her broom over. The ghosts growled and moved to slightly block Clockwork and Danny.<p>

"Warden." Skulker addressed the ghostly sheriff. "It is the Truce Party. All are welcome here. I don't see why you seem to think you need to halt it."

Walker continued to smirk, Bullet flying up beside him. "I've been authorized by the Observants to handle a matter they brought to my attention. The ghost boy is under arrest."

Danny whimpered and pressed harder against Clockwork. If he was taken to the jail, there was no telling what would happen to him or the child. The Time Keeper wrapped his cloak carefully around the halfa's shoulders.

"You are aware...Walker." The ghost said slowly, "-of Daniel's condition. Are you not?"

The sheriff's smirk dropped in confusion. "Condition?"

Danny stepped out from under the purple fabric, resting his hands over his stomach as though in prayer. The guards had looks of shock, while Walker grabbed the Observant closest to him with a snarl.

"What's the big idea, bub?" He growled, pointing at Danny. "You expect me to take an expectant and lock 'em away? That isn't in the rulebook." He shoved the guard away, muttering angrily to Bullet, who flew over and stood in front of Danny.

"That is of little importance. You were ordered to take Danny Phantom into custody." The Observant said calmly, brushing his pointed collar back into shape. The second Observant floated forward, and when he spoke, Danny found that the first had a deeper voice.

"Unless you are under the impression that you cannot handle such a task."

Walker's eyes narrowed. "It isn't that I can't handle it, I won't handle it. Find me a good enough cause, and I might have the ghost-boy moved within reason." The specter ended by crossing his arms. The first Observant hovered uncomfortably close to Walker's face.

"You need NO explanation, Walker! Are you or are you not competant enough to do this simple task?-!" Walker was now positively glaring, and Danny backed into Clockwork, worried that a fight would break out soon. The third Observant, who had remained silent, suddenly floated closer to Danny. Bullet forced himself in between them, pushing the halfa back.

"You are Daniel Fenton." It was a very calm voice that was heard, and Bullet relaxed a bit. He floated closer. "I've heard of you. You protect others, often at the cost of your own safety, correct?" Danny, who was still on edge, nodded, watching as the Observant came closer. "You are somewhat of a hero, are you not?"

Danny curled down, suspiscion heavy in his voice. "I suppose. Why?"

The Observant reached out and gently touched Danny's head, bringing a claw down to rest on the bridge of the halfa's nose. "How interesting." Without saying anything else, he traced Danny's right eye, careful not to harm the human by accident. Danny watched the large green eye, noting how kind it seemed, how warm. He was pulled back without warning, by Clockwork who was watching the Observant with a protective air.

Meanwhile, Walker and the first and second Observant were staring down, glares heating the air. Walker was the first to break the silence. "I won't allow you to use my men to break the rules."

The first Observant quickly retaliated. "By denying us, the Observants of the High Council, the use of officials to apprehend a suspect, you are breaking the rules, Walker!" The sheriff was silent, and Danny felt his stomach drop low.

Without warning, the second Observant lunged at Danny, shoving aside the third Observant. Bullet darted in front, but was pushed back into Danny, who went sliding across the floor. Clockwork turned, and when he caught sight of his mate, he lunged forward, screaming.

"NO!" Too late.

* * *

><p><em>He felt it. The connection of his light. The panic. The fear. The feeling. It was now<em>.

* * *

><p>Danny crashed into the podium that had been holding the thermos. The halfa's elbow rammed hard into the canister, sending it flying to the floor, where it smashed and exploded into a huge cloud of light and energy.<p>

"FREE AT LAST!-!-!-!"

* * *

><p>"FREE AT LAST!-!-!-!" Danny was on the ground, curled up in a ball, as a wave of darkness crashed down over him. The feeling he had only experienced once before, and at that time he had been in less danger than now. After a moment, the air settled, and he felt eyes staring at him. He slowly uncurled, to see the being of his nightmares.<p>

Dan Phantom.

Dan was studying him, eyes taking in the robe, his long hair, and then, his stomach, which bulged out on his lap. At that, Dan's eyes widened to the point he almost seemed...stunned.

"I KNEW IT!" The group turned to face the first Observant, whose eye was dilated with rage. "I knew it was welcoming disaster, keeping that monster alive! How dare you Clockwork! You wanted to unleash Dan on us all!"

Danny bolted up and past Dan, rage over-riding his fear. "That is absolute bull-shit!" He yelled, storming over to the Observants who were glaring at him. "Clockwork's Far-Sight is being blocked! How was he supposed to know the thermos would break?"

The first Observant picked Danny up by the rim of his robe, un-caring when the halfa yelped in terror. "It is not your place, boy, to take such a tone like that against us. Do so again, and you will regret it." Clockwork leapt forward, snatching Danny from the Observants' claws.

"Do NOT threaten my mate! Or you will regret _your_ actions!" While this scene took place, Reki had been creeping towards Dan silently, her hands glowing luminously. She was shaking hard, unable to concentrate completely with the shockwaves of evil aura pouring from the future ghost. Her murmurs of the spell were laced with tiny pants of fear, as her now timid orange eyes stared at Dan's red glowing eyes.

Without warning, she was pulled off the floor. Dan was holding her by the scruff of her dress, staring at her before cocking his head towards the others.

"Did I hear that right?" Reki was unable to respond. "My younger self, my human self, is pregnant?" She managed a shaky nod. "And Clockwork...is he the father?" A second nod. "I see." He put her down, and walked over to Danny, who was being hidden under Clockwork's cloak. The master of time was keeping his mate safe from the Observants. Clockwork jumped as Dan's presence neared, but neither were Dan's target. The ghost marched up to the Observant who had picked Danny up, and grabbed the green ghosts' collar, throwing him at the wall.

"You said you wanted me dead? You thought, that if I couldn't be contained, that the possibility existed, you could just get rid of me?-!" Dan roared, grabbing the second and throwing him towards Walker's guards. They scattered, and began firing on him. Dan used a Ghostly Wail to knock them away, glaring at the ones who got up. "I don't think you fully understand the situation here." He cracked his knuckles. "I'm DAN PHANTOM. I'M THE STRONGEST THERE IS!" He went to lunge into the fray, when Reki's spell gained enough power, and went off.

Just as Dan jumped forward, Danny was pushed by the spell, colliding with his future self, and everything went dark.

* * *

><p>Danny's P.O.V.<p>

_When I finally opened my eyes, it was to a horrible darkness. It was cold, and no matter how much I moved, there seemed to be no up. No down. No direction whatsoever._

_'Danny?'_

_I heard someone say, and turned to see myself. Or rather, my ghost form, hovering above my human form. I blinked, rubbed my eyes, blinked again, and shook my wildly._

"Is this a dream?"

_My voice was louder than the other me. Er, wait... I was confusing myself. I floated down to the room that had formed around the doubles of myself, and when I saw a window, I realized where this was._

"No way...This is Vlad's house!"_ I breathed, seeing the green pastures and various statues around the yard. I turned back to the other me's. The human-me had a photo in his hands, and I saw everyone in the family, including Tucker and Sam, all gathered in front of the house._

_'C'mon Danny.' The ghost-me said, trying to tug on the human-me's shirt sleeve. 'I miss them too...But you can't just shut me out. That isn't fair!' The human-me got up and left the room. Ghost-me sank onto the bed, his tail shifting into legs._

_'Why are you ignoring me?'_

_My eyes went wide. _"HOLY SHIT!"_ I grabbed at my hair, unbelieving my own train of thought for a moment._

"I'm in Dan's memories!"

* * *

><p>"Daniel!" Clockwork said worriedly as he held his mate, unconcious from the blast. Beside them, Dan lay unmoving, Reki perched in front of him as she held up a force-field against the Observants blasts. Walker and the other ghosts were fighting as well, half of the guards controlled by the two Observants.<p>

The third was sitting calmly between Reki's force-field and the four, eye closed in a meditative state.

"Why isn't he waking up? Did I hit him with too much?" Reki asked, wincing as a guard began pounding on the shield. The Observant opened his eye lazily and stared at her.

"No, child. He will not awaken for a few moments. He is rather busy at the moment." Clockwork looked up, glaring at the ghost.

"What have you done, Yaheil?" He spat bitterly. Reki almost dropped the shield out of shock, but caught herself quickly.

"Ya-Yaheil?" Isn't that the guy in the portrait? She wondered. Yaheil leaned down over Danny, pulling the boy from Clockwork grip and setting him next to Dan.

"I have done nothing. However, these two must reconcile, before this battle is over. Lest their battle continue indefinitely."

* * *

><p>Back with Danny<p>

_I was now watching as my human-self and ghost-self walked around the mansion, with seemingly no one else in it. I had gathered that it had only been a short time after the explosion, and for some reason my human-half had shut out my ghost-half. He seemed almost deaf to my ghost-half's plea for attention, and ignored whenever his clothing was tugged or pulled._

_'Danny!' Ghost-Danny was frantically pulling on Human-Danny's shirt, until his hands phased through and he went tumbling backward. To my surprise, he was picked up by Vlad, who seemed as healthy as the Vlad in my own time had been._

_'Why is he ignoring me? I didn't know it was even possible for him to shut me out.' Ghost-Danny whined, looking to Vlad for comfort._

_'I don't know. It's very odd. With the accident and everything, I was sure he'd cling to his other half like a child. I've never been able to shut out Plasmius, but I suppose that kind of rule doesn't apply to Daniel.' Vlad answered, giving the Human-Danny a concerned look. He put a supportive hand on Ghost-Danny's shoulder. 'Maybe it's shock. He might not be aware of anything right now.'_

_Ghost-Danny looked hopeful. 'Really?'_

_Vlad gave the ghost a small smile and nod. 'I'm sure as soon as he recovers a bit, you two will be back to fighting ghosts and protecting Amity-Park together, just like always.'_

_Ghost-Danny sniffed, wrapping his arms around himself. His tail wound like a coil. 'I hope you're right.'_

I floated upwards, and I now was looking down on numerous spots of light, all of which were memories of the days following. I had a feeling I knew how this was going to end; the older Vlad had told me as much. Still, I pressed forward into the next memory, which was of Human-Danny and Ghost-Danny in the kitchen. Human-Danny was wearing a new set of clothes, a long-sleeve blue and black jacket and black jeans.

_'Danny? Danny? Danny! I know you can hear me!' Human-Danny simply continued to make his sandwich, either ignoring his other half, or was truly unaware of the ghosts' proddings. 'Vlad says you're just in shock, but I think I know what's really going on.' Human-Danny began to spread some mustard on his bread slices. 'I think you're angry about the explosion, and you're blaming it all on me.' Ghost-Danny was not given a response. 'Danny, that isn't fair! What were we supposed to do? We weren't fast enough to do anything. Even if we had got there on time, we had no strength left!'_

_Human-Danny jumped and hissed; he had knicked his finger with the knife while slicing the sandwich in half. Ghost-Danny reared back in shock._

_'OH! Here, uh, uh, uh, BAND-AIDES! Where-Where?' He rapidly searched around, until he located the box nearby. He presented the box to Human-Danny, who had just stood there and watched blood drip from the wound. 'Here we go!' No response. Ghost-Danny suddenly put the box down and wrapped himself around Human-Danny._

_'Please...Just say something. Danny...Danny!' No answer. 'Danny, please...Don't reject me...Don't push me away anymore...It hurt me too. It hurt me to lose them, especially Tucker and Sam. I know how much it hurts right now. But you can't just push me away...DANNY!' He screamed, not even startling Human-Danny. Who finally moved, to wipe off the blood and pull a bandaid from the box._

I was pulled back, up into the darkness, and after crying for a few moments, I finally pulled my hands away from my face. The reason that Dan had killed his human half wasn't because of weakness, or from the darkness in his heart. It had been rage. Pure, uncontrolled rage, stemming from the pain of being rejected by his human half, first mentally, emotionally, and finally, physically. When Vlad pulled out the ghost half, he unleashed a being born of unhappiness.

A memory nearby began to glow, and after a few scenes, I realized what it was. I took a deep breath, to stabilize myself, and dove forward for the final time.

* * *

><p><em><strong>READ AND REVIEW<strong>_. CLIFFY! Beware!


	9. Chapter 9

Well, here's part two! Le gasp! A double update? From me?

Danny: Get started already! It isn't nice to lead people on!

Gee, who'da thunk you of all people would say that?

Danny: Wh-What does that mean?

Nothing. (fore-shadowing)

Danny: WHAT'DJU JUST WHISPER?-!

Uh...Internet?

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>Danny's P.O.V.<p>

_There was a loud beeping when I finally became aware of the room. I saw machines glowing green, and Vlad, wearing a surgeon's outfit. Then, I saw myself. Human-Me was strapped to a table, which was in an upright position, reminding me, for a split second, of my time in the lab two months ago. I panicked, then calmed myself, breathing slowly. Ghost-Danny was nowhere to be seen._

_'Danny? What's Vlad doing?' I heard in my head. I looked around, startled. It sounded like me, but less like my teenage voice, and more of my five-year-old voice. 'Is he gonna do something bad?'_

_With no obvious reason not to, I answered back. _"I...Yes. He is."

_'Is it going to hurt?'_

_I grimaced, taking in the claws of the gloves. "_Yes. A lot."

_'I see. So, does Danny want me anymore?'_

_I froze, unsure of how to answer._

_'Is Danny unhappy with me? My existance? Is that why he stopped talking to me?' The voice wasn't frantic, nor did it sound upset. It just sounded...sad. Defeated. 'Am I the one making him unhappy?'_

_I tried to work my mouth open, to answer back-_

_When Vlad slid the claws through my human-halfs' skin, and the most horrible pain erupted in my body._

* * *

><p>"AAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!-!-!-!" Danny screamed, struggling against Clockwork's grip to keep him pinned down. Reki was now crying, trying not to flinch as Danny's screams echoed off the walls, defeaning the battle for a moment. His eyes were un-seeing, wide, and his pupils had shrunk to the point Clockwork could barely see the normal baby blue of his eyes. His body was glowing with a mixture of fiery green and icy blue, and a few ghosts stopped and stared at the energy surrounding the boy.<p>

"Daniel, you must calm down! Please! For the sake of the child!" Clockwork tried, wincing as his ears were blasted by Danny's shrieks of pain.

_'Please wake up, Danny_.' Reki thought, a tear rolling down her cheek. _'For the sake of everyone, you have to wake up!'_

* * *

><p><em>It felt as though I was being sliced in half, with a side of being struck by Vortex's lightning, and when Dan forced the Time Medallion into my gut? Yeah, multiply that by a thousand hundred and you get pretty close.<em>

_When it finally stopped, I was holding my chest, panting and gasping for air. I looked up, and saw Vlad staring at me. I was shocked for a moment, an expression he reflected, before my lips curled back and I snarled at him, making him back away. I turned my head and saw my human-half. I stood and approached him. He was cowering before me._

_"N-No...No..." He uttered, clutching at the wall for safety._

_When I tried to clutch to him for safety, he refused. When I offered him comfort and solace in the deaths of our family, he rejected me. And just now, when Vlad had ripped me from his body, I knew. I knew that I was never welcome in his heart again. Why should I be, a monster that I had become? I felt Plasmius' power flowing through me, feeding my rage._

_I raised my clawed hand, and reached for my Human-half-_

Before pulling back with a scream. "NO!"

I was back in the darkness, but now my hands and legs were bound by some chains, heavy and black. I could feel Dan, feel his rage and malice, his hatred for human kind.

And I understood it.

I felt his darkness closing in around me, choking my life away, drowning me in his dispair, his hatred, his rage, and just when I was sure I'd be swallowed, it disappeared and I was left floating again. After a few moments of recovering, I twisted around and called out for him.

"Dan! Dan, are you there? Dan!" A dim red glow caught my attention, and I turned my head to see a small, crimson orb, surrounded by black claw marks and a dim flame around it. I pushed myself towards it, and felt the darkness well up as I got closer.

"This is...his soul." I felt his soul, his being, everything. I held it in my hands, and felt it flutter rapidly, like a bird just caged for sport. "No, Dan, it's okay." I felt him respond by a nudging in my palms. "I won't hurt you. Not anymore." I pulled the soul close, and wrapped my body around it. "I won't let any more hurt come to you. I'm going to protect you. Dan, can you feel me?" I asked, feeling his soul strain at my own. "Can you feel my truth? My will to help you? I want to you to feel it, Dan. The warmth you were denied."

The soul began to glow brighter, and I heard that young voice from before. _'You aren't lying?'_

"Never." I shook my head. "If you need me to, I'll accept your soul into mine. We'll be one again, and your pain will lessen." I felt the unasked question. "The pain won't go away. What you need is the acceptance of your true other half, but..." I held the soul as tightly as I could. "But I can be a step-in. Dan, you can take all the comfort you need from me. From now on..."

The darkness began to drop away, and me along with it. _I promise I will accept you without hesitation._

* * *

><p>Clockwork felt his heart soar with relief as Danny's eyes fluttered, and the boy lurched upward with a strangled gasp. He breathed hard, greedily sucking in air, and at the same time Dan was stirring as well. Reki was suddenly blown backwards by an Observant, and her shield broke with the sound of something large and glass-like being broken.<p>

"Enough is enough!" The green one-eyed ghost shouted, grabbing Danny by the throat, and hauling him away from Clockwork. The master of time tried to stand but was blasted backwards by the second Observant. "There will be no more distractions! I am going to personally see to it that Danny Phantom is executed! With or without child!"

The Observant was caught in the face by a black-gloved fist, and sent flying into the crowd of guards, who were recovering their free will. Danny was lowered to the ground, and he watched as Dan stood and turned towards the Observants.

"Leave. Him. Alone." The alter-self's voice was low, dangerous, but Danny felt calm. He knew Dan was not going to act until they did. The first Observant got back up, with some help from the second, and glared at them.

"You, Dan Phantom, are supposed to have been executed upon your capture! I'll see to it that Clockwork is severely punished for your escape! And furthermore-" He was cut off by a Ghostly Wail to the face.

"And furthermore, you can suck it." Dan finished, arms crossed and stance haughty. Danny felt his mouth move before he even knew what he was saying.

"Dan, language." The ghost looked back at him, but instead of being hit by an eye-blast, he was given a glower and Dan's tongue stuck out at him. "If you want to have that pinched, keep it where I can see it." The serpentine tongue retracted quickly.

Reki and Clockwork both watched this exchange in shock. Well, Clockwork more than Reki. The witchling had already seen Danny exhibit control over his evil-self, who suddenly had less of an evil aura, and more of a rebellious one.

Around them, the battle had drawn to a close, the partying ghosts winning against the mind-controlled guards easily. Skulker threw away two guards he'd snatched away from Ember, who had blasted so many she'd lost count. The Box Ghost and Lunch Lady were standing together, having protected the food proudly. Technus and Johnny 13 shook hands atop a pile of guards, and Kitty was using Shadow to smack one last guard into oblivion and toss him on the mound.

When Observants one and two got up again, so did number three. His form began to shift, and Danny was left staring at the face from the painting.

"So, you've decided to show your face, Yaheil?" Clockwork asked, pulling Danny to his feet. "And here I thought you were just here to look good."

"Ah, Clockwork. Such a temper." The Observant crooned, earning him the chance to be flipped off by the Time Keeper. "Now, I believe I may be of help to you. Shouldn't that warrant me some special treatment?"

Clockwork gave him a flat look. "You did. I could've used two hands to flip you off."

That made Danny laugh, which turned attention to him. He blushed and held a hand over his mouth, unable to stop his giggles. Yaheil smiled at him.

"See? Your mate likes me."

Clockwork rolled his eyes. "He hasn't gotten to know how annoying you are yet." Which made Danny's giggles increase, and he tried to stop. Really. He was trying hard.

Dan was standing near him, eyes trained on him, but not really focusing.

"Now, as I will." Yaheil sudenly was floating with his legs crossed, a book hovering in front of him. "After researching a certain event, I found that the reason Time Keepers were banned from having any relationships, was not because families were distractions, but because when one's family was attacked, that Time Keeper attemtped to use their powers to avenge their loved ones. That Time Keeper was banished from his duties, and the rule was never mentioned again." The book slammed shut. If the one-eyed Observants had mouths, they probably would have been hanging open in shock.

"So, I can stay with Clockwork?" Danny said after a moment of silence. The Observants glared at him, but Yaheil was the first to answer. He uncrossed his legs and floated upright, his legs becoming a ghost-tail.

"Not officially, Danny. You see, while you do carry his child, you are not registered as his partner." Ember stepped forward, off the face of a nameless guard.

"Well, that's total bull. How do you expect to seperate these two? We aren't gonna let you do that, y'know." She readied her guitar. Clockwork was the one who halted the ghosts this time.

"Actually, I was able to fore-see a solution to that at least that." Reki, if you would be so kind?" The witchling snapped her fingers, and a bag appeared in her hand. It was pink, and the drawstrings had big yellow stars on them. She undid the strings and tossed something small and black to her Master. "You see, I did some research of my own. I found a solution that can resolve everything." Observant douche-er, one scoffed and rolled his eye.

"Impossible. Smoothing over a disaster like this in one move? Even you can't pull that off, Clockwork." The time master simply grinned and went over to Danny. He flicked the box open, and nestled inside the plush was a tiny gear, thin and silvery.

Danny felt his heart stop as Clockwork knelt before him and held the box to face the halfa. "Daniel Fenton, will you grant me the honor of being your official partner?"

* * *

><p>READ AND REVIEW! YES!-!-! HE ASKED! WOO!<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

PANDA!

Danny: Why?

Clockwork: I'd blame the four 21-ounce bottles of Mountain Dew she drank earlier.

Heeheehee, color goes swirly.

Danny:*face-palm* Of course. Because she can't be normal.

Clockwork: I doubt this story would exist if that were possible.

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>Danny was frozen, paralyzed in front of Clockwork. It was silent for several long moments, and a steady tick-tick-ticking was counting them. The sound was coming from the Time Keeper's chest. Danny realized he was holding his breath.<p>

His hands flew to his chest, laced together so tightly his skin paled for a moment. Clockwork had, essentially, just proposed to him. In front of everyone. How the hell was he supposed to react?-! The ticking grew louder, and as it did, Danny realized his hand was trying to reach out to Clockwork. He hesitated, hell he should've just run, but at last, his hand extended to Clockwork.

"Then have your honor." he mumbled, face red. Reki let a cheer, even as the master of time smiled widely. Clockwork took the gear and held it to Danny's fingertip, where it morphed. The gear thinned into a band, with a tiny diamond-sized gear secured on top. The ghost slid the ring on the halfa's finger, and closed his hand over Danny's hands.

"Am I right in my assumption of where that particular gear came from?" Yaheil asked, eyebrow raised.

Danny gave him a confused look, which he then turned on Clockwork, who tapped his chest. Blue eyes went wide with realization; the gear had been part of the inner clock that was the Time Keeper's heart. He had made the ring from a part of his own body.

"Oh, Clockwork!" Danny breathed, grasping the master of time close. He buried his face against Clockwork's neck, lavender and rain washing over him. He felt the ring pulse with the steady ticking of the Time Keeper's clock. Clockwork held Danny tightly, absorbing the warmth of his mate happily.

"It's like a scene from Shakespeare, only we can understand them, and it isn't boring!" Reki uttered, making Danny snort hard and hide his face in the crook of his fiance's cloak. Clockwork barely held in his own laughter; Reki was hilarious to have around. Ember and Skulker were both snorting at the witchling, as Nocturne shook his head with a smile. Vortex, Box Ghost, and Technus were openly laughing at her comment.

The Observants, meanwhile, were livid. "This is not the end of things, Clockwork! There will be severe repercussions!" The first said. He was granted a middle finger.

"Get out of my house already." Clockwork deadpanned, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Or you'll face _my_ repercussions."

The Observant was about to charge at the two, when the second Observant pulled back on his shoulder. "Alright Clockwork. We look forward to the wedding. Until then, watch your step. The council _will_ be hearing about this." They left, through a green portal that disappeared instantly.

There was glaring all around, and short mutters about the Observants, when Danny suddenly cried out. He was now holding onto Clockwork's child form, the Time Keeper unconscious. Reki caught the time staff, holding it carefully and giving her master a worried look.

"He'll be fine." Yaheil was kneeling beside Danny, smiling at the sleeping face of the ghost. "He had to hold a tough facade in front of those two, but he's exhausted from today. Clockwork tries to hide his own fraility, so when he reaches his limit it always causes problems for others. You certainly have your hands full, Danny." Blushing, the halfa examined the ring, watching the gear catch the light in points. He let his mouth slip into a smile, looking down at his mate. He was engaged, to someone he loved more than anything, and he was surrounded by friends. He cradled Clockwork gently, and he found that Clockwork's child face was, indeed, adorable as hell like Reki had once said.

Yaheil stood and began to leave. Before he stepped through the portal, he turned to Reki. "Ah, you might want to be careful."

Reki, who had been walking over to the ghosts, turned in surprise, and ended up dropping the staff by accident as her foot caught on an uprooted board. The staff end hit the floor hard, and a beam of light shot out from the clock perched between the prongs at the top. The beam hit Dan, who screeched a profanity before the light faded. When they could see again, they were left staring at a three-year-old Dan, who was sitting on the ground, staring at his stubby arms in shock.

"Yeah~, have fun with that. Ta!" Yaheil called cheerfully to them as he left. There was a shocked silence, as everyone tried to take in what exactly had just happened. Then-

"T-TAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Reki burst into laughter, pointing at Dan who glared at her. "B-BABY EVIL!" She laughed harder, landing on her knees. "OH MY GODDO!"

"YOU LITTLE BITCH, WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!" Dan screamed, attempting to stand and only succeding in falling back on his tush. Danny, who had been silent up to this point, picked up his tiny alter self and cooed while rubbing their cheeks together.

"So cute! Dan, you're such a cute baby ghost!" The halfa crooned, oblivious to Dan's face turning navy blue, or how his tiny alter self was squirming to get away.

"This day can NOT get any worse..." Dan muttered, allowing Danny to do as he pleased. Danny had a grip around Dan's waist and in his other arm was Clockwork, sleeping peacefully.

"Uh, kid?" They finally realized that the other ghosts were still there. Ember stepped forward, eyeing Dan. "You mind explaining?"

Danny smiled sheepishly as Reki rolled on the floor clutching her sides.

* * *

><p>When Clockwork's eyes fluttered open, he was in his adult form, and he was lying on his bed. Danny was curled around him, stroking his hair gently as he read To Kill A Mockingbird. When the boy finally realized his fiance was awake, he set the book down on the stand nearby and smiled at Clockwork.<p>

"Good morning." Clockwork stared, before tugging on Danny's collar, enticing him into the kiss they were supposed to have had during the dance. Danny hummed into the gesture, sliding an arm around the ghosts'. Clockwork tasted very cool, like a peppermint without the sweetness. Danny smirked and melted into the kiss, his hand sliding down to intertwine his fingers with Clockworks'.

They separated after a moment, and Danny relaxed on the bed to stare at his love sideways. "How long have I...?" Clockwork started to say, before seeing the mischievious twinkle in the halfa's eyes.

"Not long. About three hours." Danny said with a smirk. Clockwork was becoming suspicious of that look.

"Why do I have the feeling something happened while I was asleep?" He said, not getting anything but a grin from his lover. "Wait...Where is Dan? And Reki?" He looked around, not hearing screams of terror or maniacal laughter. He thought for sure the whole place would be up in flames when he came to. The halfa gave a nervous grin, his fingers playing together.

"Um, well, it's actually pretty hilarious-" Danny started, before the doors burst open, and a tiny blur darted onto the bed.

"DANNY! SHE WON'T STOP LAUGHING AT ME!" Said a miniature Dan, perched on Danny's lap. The halfa gave his love a grin, before patting the baby-Dan on the head comfortingly. Clockwork stared.

"There there, Dan. Reki's just crazy, that's all." Danny soothed, before Reki flew in, her dress much lnger than Clockwork remembered. Her hat was back, and had a large star on the end.

"I'm not crazy! And Dan's a wussy!" She cawed. Dan glared at her, while Clockwork continued to stare.

"AM NOT!" Danny sighed.

"Children." He gave Reki a look. "Keep that up, and I'm letting Dora replace you as flower-girl at the wedding, understand?" She pouted.

"Yeah, yeah. Not my fault Dan's a crybaby." Dan bolted up, punching her furiously, but only making her laugh.

"I'm not a crybaby!" Clockwork finally reacted, and it was enough to make Danny burst into laughter, like Reki had done some time ago.

"WHAT THE HELL?-!-?-!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>READ AND REVIEW<strong>_! Yeah, short chapter, but the next will be longer, okay?


	11. Chapter 11

Aight, now we getting stuff DONE.

Danny: You're pretty quiet today.

My best friend is moving back to her state. I'm sad.

Danny: Oh, that IS sad. Hug? *holds arms out*

Nah, I'll be fine. Besides, I know where she lives, so I can just go kidnap her if I need to. *manic grin*

Clockwork: Because THAT doesn't sound creepy in the least bit.

Zuh-ip it.

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>Danny hummed as he leaned farther back, Clockwork's arms around him as they relaxed in front of the fire. It was early January, and Danny had gone back on New Years' to see his family. He was met by arm-punches, hair-tousling, more arm-punches, questionings and demands, even more arm-punching, and finally, a group hug. He had help from his mother to explain, and all three woman cooed over his ring. Jack had stayed silent, and Danny was afraid of what would happen when it finally all clicked in Jack's head. When it did, Jack sad, slowly, that he needed to meet this 'Clockwork' and make sure he was nothing like Johnny 13, to which Jazz threw the nearby lamp at her father's head.<p>

The Time Keeper had appeared, along with Reki and Dan, who hid behind Danny. It took a while, but when Tucker offered Dan a gingersnap, and the tiny ghostling munched on it like a mouse, all fear in the room fled at the sight of Dan eating a cookie.

"Seriously, we could probably end wars if we put Dan and a basket of cookies on the front line." Tucker said as Sam wiped the crumbs from Dan's face. The ghost was snarling, and bit her hankerchief, which just made her coo at how 'adorably violent' he was, which peeved the ghostling to no end.

Jazz had been on edge for a while, even after that, but when Dan waddled over to her on request of Danny, he'd apologized to her for knocking her out. It was explained about Dan's family, to which several shouts of adoption flew, and Jazz was immediately won over. She gave Dan a scarf that had been made for her BearBert doll, but seemed to fit Dan better. It was bright blue, with stripes of black like a candy-cane.

It had been a successful visit, until an Ectopus showed up and caused Jack to jump, screaming about ghosts, and manage to spill more than half the punch on Reki's head. The witchling retaliated by switching the man's fudge with broccoli sprouts.

Reki was still peeved about her dress and coat getting ruined.

"I think a spring wedding would be nice." The halfa said, watching his ring catch the light with dazzling display. His ghostly love smiled and traced swirls across Danny's shoulder, nuzzling his human contently. The halfa laughed, squirming. "What are you, part cat now?" Clockwork continued nuzzling Danny's cheek, his other hand resting on Danny's, both on the bulge of the dark haired youth's belly.

"I suppose that, if I were, you would be my catnip?" Clockwork teased back, nipping Danny's ear in jest. The human yelped, hand clamping over the now reddened body part as he scowled as the master of time.

"You!" Before he could say anything else, Dan came screaming into the room, soaking wet. Danny sighed. "You fell into the pond again, didn't you?" Dan nodded, sniffling loudly. Danny pushed himself up and allowed the tiny ghost to clamp onto his arm. He cradled Dan gently, looking over to Clockwork. "Maybe later, we'll discuss this." The Time Keeper smiled as his mate bounced Dan in his arms, hushing the tearful spirit while heading to the ghostling's room for dry clothing.

Yaheil was watching this scene, along with the other eleven members of the High Council. He turned to them. "I see a content time keeper, a non-destructive future spirit, and a gentle and kind halfa. Not one seems likely to cause any trouble whatsoever."

A second Observant, also human-looking stepped forward. He had black hair down to his waist, tied with a silver ribbon. "Indeed. The halfa has quite an influential aura about him. It may be wise to allow this small family to thrive."

There was a murmur of agreement between the others, before a new voice spoke up. "And if Plasmius decides to make a move? They will be caught in the cross-fire."

Yaheil glanced at the viewing-mirror. Danny had a dry and sleepy Dan in his arms, humming softly under his breath, as Reki and Clockwork watched from the door. "I believe in them. They are strong enough to handle anything Vlad throws at them."

* * *

><p>"<span>Why do birds, suddenly appear<span>?" Danny sang as he gathered up the books strewn about from Reki's 'reading rampage'. "Everytime, you are near?" He put the books back on the shelves, smiling. "Just like me, they long to be." He held a green book entitled 'A History of Time'. "Close, to you." He opened it on a whim, and was immediately fascinated.

'Time, or Chronos as the Greek reffered to it as, has always been in existance. Before anyone even defined time, or knew how to set it in order, time has been ticking away the existance of reality. A Time Keeper's job is to protect time, and always maintain the balance of the Time Stream. Of course, at times of necessity, more than one Time Keeper has been recorded as having to help another.

The basic powers of a Time Keeper are the ability to rewind, pause, fast-forward, and even erase moments of time that would be harmful to the Ultimate Reality.'

Danny hummed as he closed the book. "That sounds really important. But why can only one ghost be a Time Keeper?" He put the book back, and was standing there for a moment, before his eyes widened and he ran.

Clockwork and the other ghosts were there, along with Desiree, Amorpho, and Yaheil. The three were going to take up the vow as well, and were discussing with Clockwork when the halfa came flying into the room.

"Daniel! What in Pariah's name?" The Time Keeper yelped as his betrothed gasped for air.

"It-It..." Danny couldn't talk, so he snatched up Clockwork's hand pressed it against his stomach, where a moment later the ghost felt a tiny 'bump' to his palm.

"It...It kicked..." He said in awe, making Danny smile. Ember bounced forward, a grin on her face.

"I wanna feel!" She shouted, pressing her cheek to Danny's tummy, squealing loudly when she felt the movement. Skulker rolled his eyes, embarrassed by his girlfriend's behavior. Desiree floated forward, keeping a cautious eye on the halfa, who smiled and held her hand as he had done for Clockwork.

"A child is a precious thing. They are rare, and hard to take proper care of. But somehow, I think you will make a good mother." Amorpho quietly muttered, the red glasses catching the light and giving the impression that the shape-shifter was looking at him.

Yaheil stood and gave a small bow to Clockwork. "I must be going. Danny, Clockwork, all. Take care." Danny walked forward and gave him a one-armed embrace.

"Please come again. Before you go, can you, um..." Danny looked a bit embarrassed and was twiddling his thumbs. Yaheil smiled, patting the halfa on the head.

"You wish for me to take up the vow?" Danny was bright red. "Danny, you realize that, as an Observant, I'm not allowed to become attached to drifters, correct?" Danny wore a look of confusion. "Drifters are what we call the people in different time streams who develope their standing to the point that they affect the main Time Stream. Thusly, they 'drift' in the stream." Danny hung his head, saddened.

Amorpho strode forward. "I will take the vow, Phantom. I owe you from the last time I was in Amity-Park." Desiree also floated up next to him, her tail winding around his arm.

"And I shall as well. Shall I bless the child as well?" Danny gave her a look of surprise.

"You can do that?"

Desiree floated closer. "I was a gypsy once. I blessed the birth of children in the towns my troupe visited, and they lived long and happy. I shall bless your child as well, ghost boy."

Danny stared her for a moment, and smiled. "Desiree, I'd be honored if you would do that for me."

Reki suddenly came racing in, her face filled with terror. "DANNY!"

The halfa jumped; Reki was in a state of total distress, her dress practically torn and falling apart. He grabbed the witchling around the shoulders to steady her. "Reki, what happened?"

Reki burst into tears. "D-DAN! H-He-Books!" Danny felt a twinge of fear.

"Reki, calm down and speak clearly." He told her. She swallowed and gulped air, before she began dragging him.

"DAN! We were i-in the library, and the b-bookcase! It just-It just fell and now he's under all those books-" Danny cut her off by rocketing past her, a trail of ghostly smoke trailing from him.

* * *

><p>The doors to the library slammed open, and Danny saw all the cases and books piled on top of each other. Without warning, he felt a flash of intense fear run through him, but it wasn't his. "Dan?" He felt the fear again, along with a small dash of hope. He began to dig through the books, searching for his tiny counterpart. "DAN! If you can hear me, if I'm getting close, callout, okay!" A weak cry, like a puppy whimpering, nearby his right led him to the bookcase Reki had spoken of. He could just barely see the white flame that made up Dan's hair. He pulled and tugged, to no avail.<p>

"Danny!" Clockwork and the others had arrived, and were staring at the frantic halfa.

"HELP ME!" He screamed, pulling harder on the bookcase. "He's trapped! Help me pull it off him!" He was joined by Amorpho, Skulker, and Lunch Lady. The shelf began to move, slowly creaking as it was lifted from the ground. A frightened squeak, and Dan's face appeared.

"D-Danny?" The halfa let Technus take his place as he crawled down to the tiny ghostling.

"I'm here. C'mon, I got you." He pulled the ghost into his arms, cradling the child as Dan's crying grew into wails. He stood with help from Ember, and rocked the ghostling back and forth.

"Shu-shh-shu. It's okay now, you're safe." He whispered, arms clamped around his miniature self. "Don't worry, Dan, I got you." Clockwork watched as Danny's mutters calmed down the frantic child, and Dan soon settled down into Danny's grip.

"Spectacular." A new voice said, and they all looked up to see a second Observant, female, with long black hair. Danny was in awe just looking at her. She began to descend, walking on platforms made of energy that appeared in front of her and disappeared behind her. "To think that your influence extends so deeply into the hearts of those lives that you've touched." She landed next to them, crouching down so she could place her hand on Danny's head.

_'She's...so pretty_.' Danny thought, her green eyes hypnotizing him. _'I wonder, is she really an Observant?_' The woman stood and addressed Yaheil.

"Brother, you took so long the others sent me after you. You really can't expect them to be at ease with you here all the time." Danny's jaw dropped.

_'Brother?-!_' He looked between them, seeing not even the barest hint of relation.

"We aren't family in the sense you're thinking of, Danny." Yaheil said with a smile. He strode forward to shake hands with the female. "Good to see you, Torin. You've come to see the child, haven't you?" When Torin's cheeks turned dark, he laughed. "Torin likes babies a lot, which is why she'd make up the excuse to come visit."

Torin whirled around, her foot slamming into Yaheil's shin, and as he hopped around cursing at every deity in every language Danny had ever heard of, Torin bowed to him politely. "Disregard anything that comes out of his mouth. I am Torin, and I watch the beginnings of every being."

Danny stood and bowed slightly, his cheeks rosy. "I'm honored to meet you, Miss." He straightened, Dan's fingers tightly gripping his shoulder. "But, I kinda need to ask. Why are Observants running through the castle to check up on us?" Torin and Yaheil were silent; they knew the boy was smart. "Why do you need to know what goes on in here? Is something going to happen? You guys know Clockwork can't see anything right now..."

Yaheil stepped forward, hand clasping down on Danny's shoulder. The halfa looked up at him, feeling a bit annoyed that the Observant was almost two feet taller. "Danny, what will happen, will happen. There is no stopping it. But, if you are strong enough, and I know you are...Both of you." This was also directed at Clockwork, whose eyes widened slightly, "-You will overcome it. And in the mean time, how goes the wedding plans?" Danny turned bright red. "Ah, haven't decided completely." Yaheil placed a hand on Torin's shoulder and pushed her forward. "Well, Tory here is quite the planner, and a great cook to boot, so if you need her-" He was once again cut off by Torin shoving her elbow deep into his gut. She looked very annoyed.

"Do not attempt to market me, brother, or else next time I won't miss your spleen." He choked out a gasp, crouching in the corner away from her, and Torin dusted off her clothes and straightened her hair. She turned back to Danny. "Have you got a name yet?" Freezing, Danny nodded, wishing he was better at lying. Torin seemed satisfied enough, and turned to Yaheil, who was clutching his stomach with a forced grin.

"Well, we need to go. Danny, Clockwork, both of you stay safe. And you all..." He trailed off, eyeing the ghosts, "...please watch over them. There is more than just a child riding on the coat-tails of this wedding." With that, the now-familiar portal _whoosh_ed open and the two disappeared inside.

* * *

><p><em><strong><span>READ AND REVIEW!<span>**_ Yaheil and Torin are pretty much teenage siblings. Torin does care for her brother, but Yaheil isn't known for being serious too often. Hence why she constantly beats the stuffing out of him. But they do love each other.

(looks over to see Torin weilding a chainsaw over Yaheil) Then again, sibling love can't really be compared to anything, can it? Sigh. (goes to separate them)


	12. Chapter 12

And heeeeerrreee we go!

Danny: It's the big scene, isn't it?

Yuppers! This chapter might be a bit jittery.

Clockwork: As long as we reach the conclusion sooner, I'll be satisfied.

Why Clockwork, and here I thought you enjoyed this story.

Clockwork: Then you are under the wrong impression.

*Sigh*

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>Danny giggled hard as he ran through the castle hallways, a familiar purple cloak trailing behind him as shouts of "DANIEL! GET BACK HERE!" sounded behind him.<p>

A few days earlier, he had watched as Dan swung off Clockworks' shoulders, snagging his cloak, and ended up wrenching it off the ghost. Danny was amazed to see pure white hair underneath, wavy and reaching to the time masters' shoulders. Danny had reached out while Clockwork shouted at Dan, and softly stroked the white hair, completely surprised when the master of time purred and leaned into his touch, practically curled around his fiancee's finger. Once he'd come to his senses a moment later, Clockwork had hurriedly thrown the cloak back on and chased the ghostling around shouting loudly with a dark blue blush. Ever since then, Danny had used every chance to steal the covering and have his fiancee chase him through their home, catching him only to be petted back into submission..

The halfa giggled as he dove against the wall next to Clockwise's painting, which had a hidden room behind it. It seemed Clockwork did not know about this space, as he flew by, not seeing Danny just behind the thin film that made up the wall.

'No way are you wearing this ugly thing again.' Danny thought, holding up the ratted cloak, holes and tears littering it. He blinked, and looking both ways(although that was un-necessary) he pressed his face into the cloth, feeling the still-silky texture. His face grew warm as he realized what he was doing, and he pulled away, the scent of lavender rain heavy in the air in front of his face. He giggled slightly. 'Either this is sort kind of freaky ghost-drug, or I'm actually getting light-headed from Clockwork's smell.'

He slowly peeked out, and after seeing no one in the halls, he slipped out of the space and turned to flee.

"And where are you going?" Danny shrieked, jumped in the air, and spun round; Clockwork shimmered into view a moment later, smirking. The halfa pouted; the ghost had used his invisibility to hide. "I've known about that space for centuries, Daniel. How do you think I've managed to not go crazy from the Observants always popping in?" Not having a comeback, Danny turned to run, before his wrist was caught and the cloak fell to the floor. Clockwork had Danny pinned to the wall, staring at his giggling fiancee while trying hard not to end up copying him.

"You -heehee- can't put that -haha- thing back on!" Danny managed between breathless laughs. For some reason, Clockwork felt like kissing the boy. Instead, he pressed his face into Danny's neck, feeling the gentle THUMP-THUMP, THUMP-THUMP of the human's heartbeat.

"And why not?" Danny managed to finally stop laughing, and looked the Time Keeper straight in the eye.

"Because I'll refuse to kiss you." Those ruby eyes lit up in amusement.

"Oh? And how do you plan..." Clockwork leaned in, his lips a hair's breadth from Danny's, "...To stop me?" Without waiting for an answer, Clockwork pressed his mouth firmly to Danny's. The halfa moaned, kissing back instantly; it was hard not to, especially since Clockwork knew how to kiss. Pressure here, coaxing there, and then somehow their tongues were dancing together softly, Clockwork's grip on his wrists now slack as his fingers drifted up to intertwine with his love's.

Without warning Danny felt his core spark to life, crying out for the time Time Keeper's. He gasped and squirmed, wanting to do what his instincts wanted, but knew he had to wait. He gently pushed at the ghosts' arms until Clockwork leaned back, his eyes dazed with desire. Danny winked and smoothed his finger over the moist, blue lips of his lover.

"Not yet." And with that, Danny turned human and sunk through the floor, leaving a frustrated Clockwork behind. A few moments later, the time master took off down the hall, his teeth gritting in annoyance.

"DANIEL, YOU GIVE ME BACK MY CLOAK THIS INSTANT!"

* * *

><p>Ember hummed as she strummed a few strings on her guitar, watching as Skulker cleaned a beautiful dagger, a gorgeous blue crystal embedded in the hilt. It was to be his gift to the new couple, to be presented at the wedding. She had been commissioned to sing.<p>

"I wonder which it'll look more like." She said quietly, her eyes glowing dimly as she thought of how lucky Ghost Boy was. Skulker made a noise that suspiciously sounded like a scoff.

"Hopefully it won't be as annoying as he is-OW!" The hunter yelped as something connected with his head, and turned to see Ember's boot, still up in the air from where it had made contact with the back of his skull. Her face was hidden by her bangs, but Skulker knew immediately what was going on.

"You want one too, don't you?" Ember finally swung her leg down, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "You know it isn't possible, what with the way I am." He sat down next to her, letting her lean against him, her hair warming his body. "I want to be able to make you happy, Em. I really do. But..."

She nodded slowly, sniffing a bit. "There's limitations, right?" She wiped her face, her make-up never smudging. Still, Skulker felt compelled to run his thumb over her cheek, a gentle touch only Ember ever received.

"I know it's unfair, but it doesn't matter. You make me happy, bad boy, and nothing is ever gonna change that." Ember curled up around Skulker's arm.

Without warning, an envelope appeared in front of them with a loud BANG! It was pop-mail, so called for the entrance it made, and it was only used when a huge, might-affect-the-entire-Ghost-zone event was about to take place.

Ember got up from where Skulker had fallen on top of her in surprise; the loud noise had made them jump so hard they fell over. As she unwrapped the card, Skulker recovered enough to sit up.

"What'sit say?" He asked, watching as her eyes got very big. Then, Ember shrieked and got up, bouncing around the room like a demented rabbit on caffeine. "EMBER!" He grabbed her shoulders, shocked when he felt the woman actually vibrating under his hands. "What has gotten into you?"

Ember glowed as she replied. "The wedding! It's this Friday!"

* * *

><p>Andrew Riter, although more famously known as the GhostWriter, was calmly reading a book of ancient towns, when his tea, earl gray with three sugars and a small dose of honey, went spurting into the air. This was because an envelope had appeared from nowhere, with a very loud BANG!<p>

After lying still for a few seconds, Andrew stood, wiped off his coat, and examined the letter. He pulled it out, sipped at his tea while reading, and once again experienced a spit-take.

"The wedding is Friday?-!" He had been dragged by Technus to the castle a week prior, where after confronting Phantom angrily, and being presented a new binding for his poems, he took the vow. Danny had asked him to come, and in preparation GhostWriter had started a poem for the couple. Now, however... "I only have a WEEK to finish it! CURSE YOU, GHOST BOY!" Unaware that said halfa was actually watching him from one of Clockwork's Gear-Mirrors.

It might be cruel and unusual punishment, but hey. The guy made him rhyme for ten hours straight. Screw the binding, he needed payback!

* * *

><p>Jack was busy fixing the Ghost-Catcher so that it would stop splitting Danny in two every time he accidentally went through it, when the letter arrived for them.<p>

Thinking that it was just Jack setting off yet another Fenton weapon, Maddie and Jazz ignored the yell of surprise from Jack, until he shouted out Danny's name, to which they raced downstairs, buttered toast and encyclopedia forgotten.

Inside the envelope were three pendants, courtesy of Clockwork. They would allow the Fentons to travel to the tower instantly once in the Ghost Zone. Maddie cried when she read Danny's scraggly hand-writing, saying how happy he would be when Jack walked him down to the altar. Jack started to cry, saying he might need Danny to do the walking for him, because he would not be able to even stand at the thought of his child getting married. Maddie rolled her eyes at her hysterical husband, and swore she would be the one to do it if Jack didn't man up.

Jazz wrote back, saying 'Dad's a mess. Mom's trying to make him be an adult about this. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Love, Jazmine.' The envelope shot back into the portal, like the other dozen or so letters that had been sent out.

* * *

><p>Danny tugged nervously at his veil, convinced it was going to make him collide with something. He was standing completely still as Dorathea, the princess he and the others had helped to rescue from Argon's rule, fixed up his dress.<p>

"Danny, knock it off! You're going to make it tear!" Jack snapped, plucking the band from Danny's hair and replacing it, smoothing it so that it fell over the boy's face delicately. It turns out Jack had helped Maddie, given they were on a tight schedule back during their own wedding. Danny nodded, trying to control his breathing as blue wisps floated out between his lips. Dorathea, whom Danny affectionately nicknamed 'Dora', looked up from the hem of his dress.

"Just relax, Sir Danny. It wouldn't do to have you faint before your own engagement." That only served to make the halfa emit a loud squeal, to which Jack held his son's shoulders gently.

"Now listen Danny. Just because you're getting married doesn't mean you're allowed to be independent." The teen scowled when he heard Dora snicker below him. "In fact, every third week from now on you have to visit. Especially once you got that kid outta your belly." Danny joined Dora in laughing this time; his dad had no idea what the actual process was, because when Jazz was born, Jack had been passed out from Maddie choke holding him as he ran them to the hospital. (He remarked having a car was impossible back then. Maddie said he'd forgotten to fill the tank beforehand.)

"That's better. No more jitters, eh son?" Danny straightened up, feeling better like his dad said. Dora finished the hem, and he spun in front of the mirrors, examining himself. His black hair contrasted nicely with the white and silvery-grey of the dress and he turned and hugged Dora, squeezing her for reassurance.

"Thank you." Dora smiled and nodded, and the three heard the sound of Ember playing the wedding march song on her guitar. Danny took a deep breath as Dora handed him a bouquet of blue roses, which frosted over from his ice core acting up in excitement. He tried to hold on to his father's arm, but with his nerves frazzled, his limb went intangible and the three fretted over it for a few seconds as Danny tried to calm down. Finally, Dora opened the doors, and Danny marched with his dad towards his future.

(OUTSIDE THE ROOM, INSIDE THE CHURCH)

Clockwork nervously paced the floor, the other ghosts and humans watching him as though he might fly into a rage without warning. He was dressed in a groom's suit, though instead of black it was the same purple as his tunic. Yaheil was to be the priest figure, and when he saw the ghost in his suit, he had burst out laughing, only stopped when Torin once again shoved her fist into his stomach.

Jazz and Maddie were sitting in the first row along with Tucker and Sam. The two were anxious to see their friend again, and on this day? No way they'd miss it.

On the ghosts' side were several recognizable ghosts. Wulf, Skulker, Ember, Box Ghost, Lunch Lady, Nocturne, Vortex, Undergrowth, Amorpho, Walker, Bullet, Spectra, Bertram, Technus, Johnny, Kitty, and even Desiree had managed to make it. GhostWriter was helping Yaheil quickly skim through the preceedings and rules in a book he'd found in his library.

Ember was standing next to Torin, who was conversing with the blue-haired rockstar quietly, when she fell quiet. Realizing that was her que, Ember began to strum the ever-familiar wedding march song, and Clockwork actually shuddered and attempted to run, when he was forced into standing still by Yaheil. When the doors opened after what seemed like an eternity, Clockwork took a deep breath and turned, ready to see his wife-to-be.

And he _froze_.

Danny was wearing a simple white dress that flowed over his belly and extended to the floor, his shoulders surrounded by a capelet. The cape and dress were outlined with lacey frills, silvery-grey in color. Danny's face was obscured by a thin white veil, and the blue roses in his bouquet had already frosted over. The final thing the entire room could see was that Danny was shaking. Hard. He was just as nervous, if not more, than Clockwork at this point.

Jack slowly strolled down the aisle, his hand laid gently on his son's. At one point he seemed ready to bolt, but at last, they reached the altar. Yaheil cleared his throat, and the soft croons of Ember's guitar faded as she sat down.

"Who gives Danny Fenton, the Hero of the Ghost Zone, to be married to Clockwork the Time Keeper?" The Observant asked. Danny felt his eyebrow go up, when Jack answered.

"Me, Jack Fenton, his father." Jack's voice was steady, strong, and serious. No goofiness, no joking around, and Danny was reassured slightly by the thought; even his dad trusted Clockwork to be his husband. Danny's stomach gave roll at the word. Husband. He thought at one point he'd lose it and start laughing, but it was replaced by a sense of... _something_. He felt Jack let go of his arm, and for a moment Danny was tempted to clutch at his father's arm, fearful of what was to come. But then Jack was seated, and Danny was in front of Clockwork, who lifted the veil carefully.

Anyone there would have to have been blind not to see the emotions in both persons' eyes. Clockwork held adoration, love, affection, and infatuation towards Danny, whos' blue eyes reflected everything in his husband-to-be's own ruby red. It almost made Jazz blush and look away, but then they turned to Yaheil.

"Clockwork, present Time Keeper of Earth. Do you take Danny Fenton, Hero of the Ghost Zone, to be your lawfully wedded partner?" If Clockwork was still nervous, he was doing well to hide it.

"I do."

Yaheil nodded, and looked at Danny. "And do you, Danny Fenton, Hero of the Ghost Zone, take Clockwork, present Time Keeper of Earth, to be your lawfully wedded partner?" Danny froze, unable to move. He felt a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek, and realized it was a tear.

"I-"

TBC

* * *

><p><em><strong><span>READ AND REVIEW!<span>**_ HAHAHA! *ducks flaming pitchforks of doom* Betcha didn't see that coming, didja? Right at a good part too! Best cliff-hanger ever done. WHOOP! *dodges an axe thrown her way* Well, I'd love to stay and watch you all try to tear me to shreds, but I must be going. Ta! *jumps through a portal*

Danny:...0_0

Clockwork: Yes, I really don't like her now.

Danny:...

Clockwork: Oh dear. *pokes Danny* It seems the cliff-hanger left him in shock. Well, everyone. Until the next chapter. *bows and disappears*


	13. Chapter 13

Alright, you guys probably didn't deserve that cliff-hanger last chapter.

(Mobs growls angrily)

But! I have the continuation right here.

Danny:...

Oh, what now? Are you still in shock?

Clockwork: It was a rather stupid place to leave off.

Oh, why don't YOU leave off?

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>Danny was cursing himself, Clockwork, the universe, <em>EVERYTHING!<em>

Why, oh dear God why did he pause? Why did he hesitate? Danny stood, eyes fixed on Clockwork. Here he was, seventeen, about to be married to the ghost of time, with his enemies, allies, and loved ones watching, and he hesitated? Someone pull the trigger, he did NOT need to be here anymore.

Clockwork's eyes shifted, and when the halfa looked into them, he found reassurance. Love. Comfort. Caring. Danny stared into those eyes full of love, and found himself reflecting. He thought of Dan, and how he'd changed when Danny accepted his connection of their souls. He thought of the ghosts, how they looked at him recently, like he was some kind of light, and it clicked in his mind. This was meant to happen. Reki, the Gear-Mirrors, GiW guys, everything that had happened up to this point. It was meant to be, because he was to bring light to the Ghost Zone. The marriage, the birth of his child, it would bring hope and light into a world that knew only despair and death. He was meant to bring hope to the ghosts, and this was the ultimate hope.

With that thought in mind, Danny steadied himself to answer. He stared Clockwork straight in the eye, noting how the light in his love's eyes was reflecting Danny's own face. He mentally prepped himself to say 'I do', took a deep breath-

And gasped as his throat began to burn. Red smoke poured from his lungs, and Clockwork was alarmed immediately. He held Danny as his halfa cried out in pain.

"Daniel? Daniel, what happened?-!" The Time Keeper asked his love. Danny clutched at his throat as the smoke finally faded. Jazz gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in shock.

"It can't be." No sooner than the words left her lips, that the doors flew open and off the hinges. Red eyes slowly faded to a teal color, calm with an insane glimmer just barely hidden. A figure stepped into view, gray hair long and bound in a ponytail. Black business suit, and a vile air about the man who slowly approached the altar. It was obvious that he was set on stopping this union. Ghosts stood to halt him, when dozens upon dozens of GiW guys appeared to flood the building, all equipped with standard ghost weapons. A battle broke out before anyone really knew what was happening, ghosts against humans, though Jack and Maddie were helping Box Ghost and Lunch Lady to defend the presents. Even Sam and Tucker were engaged with fighting, which left the man to stroll up to the couple staring at him in fear and hatred.

Clockwork held Danny close. "You!" He snarled venomously. Danny felt his child flutter wildly, as though it could sense its mothers' terror. The frozen flower bouquet fell to the ground, shattering upon impact. Slowly, deliberately, Vlad Masters lifted his head to stare at the two.

"Hello, Little Badger."

* * *

><p>There was a screaming in his head, instincts telling him to flee, run, go<em> NOW<em>! But Danny was clutched tightly in his lover's arms, staring at the one man he thought he'd never see again.

"V-Vlad..." Ever since Vlad had attempted to rule the world by forcing a meteor to Earth, the entire population of both worlds knew what a fruitloop he was. Danny had faced him, and won, and had faced the meteor and with the help of the Ghost Zone, had protected the worlds together. He should have been able to blast Vlad in the face, for daring to ruin his wedding like this. Except...Except Danny felt as though he was learning to use his ice powers again, as though the ice was forming in his stomach, flooding his insides with panic and fear. He felt the child kick violently.

"It took quite some time to find you, dear boy." Vlad stepped forward again, before he quickly dodged to the side to avoid a bright burst of red light. Yaheil, whose fist was glowing, was standing up next to the altar. He turned to look at the newly wed couple.

"Now then, Danny, I believe you were about to say something?" He said calmly, given that the entire church was in uproar. Danny looked at the Observant as though quite sure he was mental.(Though reflecting later on that, the answer was obvious) But then, he turned his head to stare Clockwork in the eye.

"I do." At once, a hush seemed to fall over them. Yaheil nodded and uttered "Then I declare this union official." Clockwork seemed to be frozen in shock, before he grabbed Danny and pressed their mouths together lovingly. They separated after hearing a shout through the commotion. Dan, who had been with Reki in the kitchen, was racing through the up-turned benches, the witchling following close. They reached Danny and Clockwork, the ghostling jumping into Danny's arms, as Reki held her broom like a sword in front of her. It had little effect, though; her hands trembled so hard it looked as though the broom would fall out of her grip.

"F-Furuto-loopu..." She stuttered, her voice beginning to fail as the man stood once more and approached them. Vlad gave them a calm, studious look.

"Oh? You've gotten married already, Daniel?" Danny flinched; he hated his full name, but even more when Vlad used it. "And it's only been two years, hasn't it? Or maybe three?" Vlad was approaching fast, dodging again when Yaheil tried to blast him. Masters had a crazed look in his eyes, and Danny realized the dark circles underneath were from lack of sleep. How long had Vlad been planning to come here?

"This is a sacred and private event, Plasmius. Only those invited by the bride and groom are allowed to be here." The Observant said frowning; it was the first time Yaheil was not smiling constantly, and the dark look in his eyes was beginning to frighten Danny. Vlad dusted himself off and stood facing them again.

"I was under the impression weddings could be attended by friends of the family."

Jack, who used the Fenton Gloves to punch a GiW unconscious, growled. "You may have been my friend, Vlad, but after what you did three years ago, to the entire planet no less, is absolutely unforgivable!" Jack lunged at the man, only to be thrown back.

"Oh come now, Jack. You know I was never your friend. You stole Maddie from me all those years ago, and now you flaunt your family with her." The man snarled, his eyes glowing red. After a moment, he settled down, before his form changed to an almost vampiric appearance. His hair was now black, and pointed to the sky in the shape of horns. His skin was tinged a sickly blue, not like Clockwork's sky blue, or Dan whose skin was robin's egg blue. A white cape swirled about his shoulders, ragged and torn in several places, and his face was dark with rage. "So, now, I think I'll have you feel exactly what I've felt all these years." With that, he shot an Ecto-blast straight at Reki, blood spraying as the energy sliced her side. The witchling hit the altar hard and left a splash of red as she fell limply to the ground.

"Reki!" Danny screamed, clutching harder to Dan. The ghostling was frightened immensely, feeling the insanity leaking from Vlad. It was the same insanity he had been swallowed by.

Vlad strolled forward, blasting anyone who tried to defend the three. Yaheil and Torin stood their ground, forcing their energy blasts together, but were thrown from the ground when Plasmius duplicates got behind them and blasted them in the back. Clockwork stood and attempted to pause the older halfa, but reverted to his older form by accident, leaving him open to be blasted backwards. Danny screamed for him, but fell silent as Vlad stood over him. After staring down at his adversary for a moment, the older man tore Dan from his arms, raising the toddler to eye level.

"What's this? You have another?" Vlad's smile was devilish. "Adopting strays is never a good idea, Daniel. Especially ghost strays. Why don't I take care of it for you?" Dan shrieked as Plasmius began to charge an Ecto-Blast intended for him, when Danny stood and screamed, "NO!" Energy flowed across Danny's hand, focused in his palm, and without warning, a giant blast of teal-colored light erupted from his skin. Vlad and the GiW were thrown back, but somehow the ghosts were unaffected. Danny sprung forward, catching Dan in his hands, and wrapped his arms as tightly as he could around the ghostling's body.

"What was that?" A blast of cold rushed by him, freezing two GiWs who would've hit him. Danny turned and saw Frostbite, along with two other Far Frozens, who leapt into the fray to help Nocturne and Vortex. The spirits of sleep and weather had reverted to their normal forms, but the amount of GiW was too much.

Frostbite bowed to Danny, and stood with a grin. "Twas your cores, Great One. They are in synchronization right now, in complete harmony." Danny stared at his hand, the sleeve of his dress burned away by the energy. Dan squirmed, un-nerved by Frostbite's appearance. But honestly, sharp fangs and claws and an arm made of ice tended to put anyone on edge. Frostbite continued to talk, kicking and punching GiWs unlucky to get close enough. "Right now, your ice core half and your flare core half are in complete harmonization, meaning that their wavelengths are exactly the same. Why, they might even fuse at this point!" Danny looked at him.

"Fuse? That's a good thing?" Frostbite nodded, kicking away a GiW with a blond mullet.

"The core halves fusing would mean your core will be completely stabilized. You would finally have balance between your ghost half and human half." Danny's eyes went wide, and he stared down at Dan.

_'Balance...between both my halves?'_ Before anything else could be said, Frostbite was blasted in the back, green erupting and spraying into the air. The wolf-like ghost picked up Danny, and threw him and Dan to Clockwork, whose baby-form just barely caught the halfa and ghostling. Vlad was furious, his eyes glowing to the point Danny felt like he would be shot through by the older halfas' stare.

"Enough is ENOUGH!" Vlad shouted. He blasted away Dan, Clockwork, and Frostbite, and grabbed Danny around the shoulders. The capelet tore, leaving Vlad to clutch the younger halfas' arm harshly, leaving a red print on his skin and drawing blood and ectoplasm with his claws. "I've waited several months now, I will NOT be made to wait another moment!"

Before Danny could ask what the hell Vlad was talking about, he was violently shocked. He screamed from the pain, and fell unconscious against Vlad, who turned human. He smiled as he turned his attention to the others. Clockwork had managed to get up, and lunged for them. Vlad smiled evilly as he and Danny sunk through the floor. "Ta ta, Clockwork."

Clockwork's scream of rage was loud enough to bring the battle to a complete stop.

He grabbed the nearest GiW, and bald black man, and held his high in the air. His Time Staff morphed into a scythe, Tucker and Sam recognizing it from the first time the three of them met Clockwork. The Time Keeper held the blade close to the agents' neck. He spoke in a tone so dangerous even Nocturne, Vortex, and Undergrowth edged away from them.

**"WHERE. DID. THEY. GO?"**

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>READ AND REVIEW!<span>_** Yup, Vlad's back, and the story's conclusion is about to come up. Everyone, get ready!


	14. Chapter 14

WHEEEEEEEEEE! Time for chapter!

Danny: Please just hurry up. I want to go home.

(Deflates) In case, you're waking up in pain.

Clockwork: We're all in pain NOW.

Oh that's it. I might turn this story into a tradgedy now!

(PhoenixFlower appears) You are NOT gonna do that.

W-What?-! Another authoress? Impossible!

Tucker: Danny! I called PhoenixFlower to help you and Clockwork!

NOOO! I will not be- (Cuts off as rope is lassoed around her)

PhoenxiFlower: Now, without further ado.

C-CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p><em>Danny smiled as the batter hit the pan with a hiss, the sweet smell rising up and hitting his nose. Behind him was a quiet humming, and the constant TAP-TAP-TAP of metal on wood.<em>

_"C'mon, honey, you know Papa doesn't like when you dent the table." He chided lightly. There was a giggle, and the fork and spoon went clattering onto the table top._

_A loud BAMF in the next room alerted him to an arriving person. He turned and bowed as Reki came strolling in._

_"Aunty Weki!" The little girl in the high chair shrieked, her hands grabbing for the witch. At the age of nineteen, Reki was a mature witch, and the owner of a brand new Academy. She was forever running around with meetings, greetings, and occasionally hid at the castle when she felt like doing nothing. She picked up the tiny girl and twirled the child's black pigtails._

_"Ohayo, chiisana jikan(1)." She said, pulling her face back into a funny position, making the smaller girl laugh. Reki put the girl back down in her high chair and turned to Danny. "And hello, dear ice-clock."_

_Danny snorted, waving the spatula at her after flipping the pancakes. "Reki, I was waiting on you. Clockwork will be here soon, so grab some food before he throws you out." Reki was the next to snort, sliding in the seat next to the child who had picked her utensils back up._

_"Like hell. He loves me." The girl giggled as the fork and spoon hovered in the air above her fingers. "Ah, I see she's finally learned telekinesis. Bout time, dangit."_

_Danny flipped the last batch, just as he felt arms wrap around his waist, and a kiss on his neck. He smiled as he turned, and Clockwork placed a tender kiss on his lips. The time ghost looked tired, but his eyes lit up at the sight of food, and even more when he turned to the little girl._

_"Hello, my dears." Reki giggled, waving her hand at him. "And hello, future asylum patient." She glared and stuck up her middle finger to him._

_Danny waved the spatula threateningly at him. "In the seat now, so you can eat, and then it's sleep." Clockwork sank into the chair, rubbing his temples. Reki slid a cup towards him and he drank the potion gratefully._

_"If the Observants were compatant, I would be able to be around you." Danny stacked the last flapjack on the plate and carried it over to the table, kissing Clockwork's white hair lovingly. "Don't worry about it. I know how it goes. 'Oh Clockwork, help us because we have more eyeball than brain!' Like that?" Danny smiled when his horrible impression got a bark of laughter from his husband. The grl laughed as well, her fork and spoon clattering to the floor loudly. Danny sighed as he picked them up._

_"Mama!" He smiled as he looked at his tiny daughter. "I love you, Mama!"_

_Danny smiled. "I love you too,-"_

* * *

><p>Pain. Burning pain, as if a giant ice-pick had been dragged across his stomach, was what brought Danny out of his dreams, making him gasp and clutch his stomach. His eyes fluttered, as though they'd been glued shut for a while, and finally, managed to open all the way. When he looked down at himself, Danny wished that his eyes had stayed shut.<p>

Blood and ectoplasm soaked his now torn dress, the right shoulder strap broken, and the hem torn all the way up to his hips, exposing his legs and thighs to the point it was almost indecent. He looked at his hands, which were pale like the rest of him, making it look more like he was some kind of demonic sacrifice. He tried to sit up, but the pain in his belly was too much...His belly...His stomach was flat.

Danny ran a hand over his belly, feeling deflated, and the only thought that ran through his head was, _'where the hell is my baby?-!_' A shuffling noise just in front of him made Danny look up, and he saw Plasmius slumped over a console. At first glance, the older halfa seemed to be asleep, but when Danny tried to move again, he whimpered, which caused Vlad to look up.

"You failed me, Daniel." Okay, when all this crap was over, he was definitely changing his name to 'Bob'. "I set out so many chances for you, and everytime you fail."

Plasmius turned around and walked forward. "First was when I wanted to get at Jack. You barred me at every stint I tried to get back at that fat oaf, but I forgave you for that. After all, Jack is your father, and as his son, you felt the need to protect him."

Danny had managed to sit up, empowered by the anger he felt at Vlad calling his dad an oaf. He gritted his teeth, tasting blood in the back of his mouth.

"Then I so courteously invited you and your mother to my cabin, as a way to bond with you. You tricked me, electrocuted my powers with that Specter-Deflector, and had me chased through the forest by creatures of my own design. But still, I forgave you."

Danny was working on standing now, blood and ectoplasm running down his thighs and pooling around his feet. There were several deep marks in his flesh, as though claws had pierced into his flesh. He realized that Vlad had used the Ghost Claws to pull the child from his body.

"I have to say, though, the hardest failure was when I almost took over the world. When I revealed myself, I knew that it would put me in danger, but I also knew that you would be forced to make a choice: give up and rule alongside me, or fight me and lose against every ghostly ally I had. But to think, you'd find a third option, getting rid of your powers long enough for me to screw up, then getting them back after I was gone, now that, that was genius!" Vlad threw his arms up, as if his body needed to express his disbelief.

Danny was now standing almost steady on his feet, and took a tiny step forward.

"But this! _This_ was by far, the _biggest_ failure of all time!" Plasmius marched up Danny, who was panting from exerting his body so much. "All you had to do was give me a girl, and instead you bore a son! A boy!"

Danny froze, his legs nearly giving out from shock. A boy? But, in his dream, it had been a _girl_! Without warning, Vlad's hand wrapped around Danny's throat, cutting off his air supply. Danny scratched at Vlad's hand weakly; he was already dizzy from blood loss, and the lunatic was not making it easy to recover.

"Well, we'll just to try again. I'll be watching you personally to make sure that fool Clockwork doesn't meddle again!" Danny gritted his teeth, feeling that anger flare up again.

"My husband is NO FOOL!" He screamed, swinging his fist against Vlad's cheek. Plasmius caught it, and Danny was tossed to the side like a rag-doll. A moment later he cried out as Vlad ground his boot sharply into the younger halfa's side, blood and plasm mixing in the pool forming around him. A wailing noise somewhere to the right made him open his eye, and he saw a cradle, a white blanket around a moving bundle. From his position on the floor, Danny couldn't see the child, but he knew without a doubt it was his.

"I'll have the child coded to the exact point of perfection. She'll have red hair, and beautiful purple eyes. I'll name her Maddie, and she'll hate every last Fenton on Earth. Well, except her mother, of course." He concluded with a wicked grin at Danny, who was silent.

"Then..." Vlad shifted his foot, startled by the clarity of Danny's voice. "What will happen to my boy?" Danny waited for the answer he knew would come.

"Why, I'll get rid of him."

Danny gritted teeth and rammed his elbow upwards into Vlad's shin, sending the man toppling to the ground, howling in pain. Danny speed-crawled towards the cradle, grasping the bars desperately. He heard the noise of something sizzling, and turned his head to see Vlad, powering up an attack. He felt a tremor run through his body, but not from fear. From the sound of Clockwork in his head.

_'DANNY! I FOUND YOU!_'

A moment later, a green portal, seemingly cut from the air, appeared and spewed out the wedding-goers, including the Observants who had been against Danny to begin with. They flew down and helped him to his feet, and he watched as Clockwork backhanded Plasmius into a pile of rubble. Another cry rose up, and everyone turned, startled, to the crib. Danny took a deep breath, and with Clockwork's help, walked towards his child. When he peered into the crib, however, he almost thought a mistake had been made.

The baby inside the blanket had silvery hair, already a stubble covering his head, and pink skin had begun to fade to a sandy-toned tan color. And his eyes...Not blue or green, like Danny's, or even red like Clockwork's, but bright golden yellow eyes stared at Danny widely, before closing with the infants wailing. Danny hesitantly reached in, but the moment his hands touched the child, he felt it. The absolute firmness that this was his child. The energy he'd sensed all throughout carrying the baby, the _THUMP-THUMP-THUMP_ of its heartbeat, and the feeling of being connected all flooded over him, making Danny hold the child close and cry.

"Hello..." He uttered, whispering so that his baby wouldn't be scared. "Hello, Chrona..." He buried his face against Chrona's stomach and cried loudly. It was all too much at once, and he felt Clockwork hold him gently as the Time Keeper looked over their child.

"Chrona...Time...It suits him, Danny." Clockwork said, kissing his wife lovingly on the cheek. Danny cried harder, not able to look at his boy yet. A tugging on his hair, though, made him look up, and Chrona was staring at him with those big, beautiful yellow eyes.

"Ah-ah." He gurgled, pulling again on Danny's hair, and the halfa smiled at his smart beautiful baby boy. He sniffed, brushing away tears.

"That's right, Chrona. I'm mama." He held Chrona close, smelling the sweet-sour smell that hung around infants, and knew there would never be a scent like it anywhere else. The rest of the ghosts looked on with smiles and fondness in their eyes, seeing the connection they had to leave behind after death. Jack was crying heavily into his handkerchief, while Maddie patted his back. Sam and Tucker were smiling for their friend, and Jazz was leaning against GhostWriter.

The group was startled by a loud BANG! and turned to see Plasmius standing up in the rubble. Danny gritted his teeth again, and passed Chrona to Clockwork, who held his infant with the air of delicacy one would use to handle porcelain.

"Plasmius..." Danny growled low, his arms shaking from anger. "You've ruined countless lives, including my own, but I will never allow you to ruin the life of my baby." The teal glow was back, and spread around Danny's body as he walked forward. "I will see to it that you never hurt anyone again, and that you pay for everything you've done, to everyone that didn't deserve to be dealt the hand you gave them!" The glow increased, until it warped, and Danny disappeared in a curtain of light. When it faded, even Chrona's mouth dropped open with a low gurgle.

Danny had on his original hazmat suit, but it was now white where it had been black, and teal where it had been white. The gloves had fins that began at the wrists and ended at the elbows, with the same fins on his boots, from knee to ankle. His belt had changed to a circle with his icon in it, and he had a visor going across his face, with twin antennae on either side, like a pairs of short rabbit ears. His white hair was in a long wrapped ponytail, and it was bound in teal material. Lastly, around his neck was a choker with a gear resting over his throat, which connected to a long white cape.

Vlad was the only one not impressed. "You...LITTLE...BRAT!" He screeched, diving at the younger male. Clockwork started forward, when Yaheil held his arm in front of the time ghost. Yaheil shook his head, and Clockwork was confused, until he watched the event unfold.

Danny opened his eyes, which were a hypnotic acid green, and seemed to wait as Plasmius got closer. He then grabbed Vlad at the throat, and _pulled him apart_. His ghost half now separate, Danny held up his hands, and blasted apart the vampire-like spirit, watching as it shredded to pieces and burned. He turned to Vlad Masters, the human who now sat against the wall, cowering as Danny had done the previous year.

"You're going away, Vlad. For good. And this time..." He stalked up to Vlad and crouched on one knee, staring the frightened human in the eyes. "If you even think of coming here again, going after my family or any ghost, or try in anyway to disturb the peace, I will hunt you down and make you wish you'd never been _born_." He spat the last word, making the man cower harder. "Do you understand?"

Vlad nodded as the Observants led him away, staring in fear of the ghosts who were all glaring at him. Clockwork stood next to Danny, who transformed back to his torn dress, with the circle icon and belt around his waist, and managed to catch Danny out of reflex as the younger fell unconscious. Chrona held onto Danny, patting his shoulder with his tiny hand, and made a quiet cooing noise. Finally, after the fights, the violence, the fear, and the doubt...

Finally, everything was as it should have been.

* * *

><p><em><strong><span>READ AND REVIEW!<span>**_ No, the next chapter is not the last chapter, but it is one that is not work safe, and should be read in private, unless you're okay with getting caught for excessive giggling. After all, what is marriage without...consummation?

(Erupts into a giggle-fit)

(1): Reki's saying 'Good morning, little time.' Which will be Chrona's nickname as well. And 'ice-clock' is what she'll refer to Danny as. You'll see in the next chapter. *Winks*


	15. Chapter 15: WARNING! NSFW

Heeheeheehee, it's the chapter everyone has been waiting for...

Danny: Why do I have a bad feeling?

Well, this is the time usually after a wedding, when the couple performs...(leans in close and whispers) Con-su-ma-tion.

Danny: OH HELL NO!

Clockwork: She won't let us go unless we go through with it.

Danny: D: (whimpering)

Everyone wanted it, ney, **DEMANDED** it. So...

CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>Danny sighed as he combed his hair through, staring through the mirror to the amour where his wedding dress hung, stained with green and red and black, torn at the bottom and the shoulder strap missing. It had only been a few days since Vlad was apprehended, and since Chrona was brought home. He'd held the tiny boy as every female present cooed over him, and even Nocturne and Vortex had ventured close, doning their human forms as to not startle the child. But they could've been natural-form like Undergrowth, and Chrona still would've laughed. Chrona seemed to love everyone near him.<p>

Maddie and Reki were immediately fighting over who would be babysitter. They finally agreed that when it was in the Ghost Zone, Reki would do it, while on visits to Amity-Park Maddie would take care of Chrona. Currently, the baby was in Amity, with both women, and for good reason; if Chrona was here, in the castle, Danny might not have enough nerve to go through with his plans. He had not been thinking much about it at the time, but technically, their marriage was not complete until they had actually had...relations. Yaheil had helpfully pointed this out.

_'You don't need to be afraid, Danny.'_ The Observant said, watching as the halfa turned from red to pale to red again. _'Clockwork was very upset before, but I know for a fact he would never hurt you.'_

Danny, who had been on the edge of hyperventilating, looked up at him. He no longer felt weirded out when ghosts read his thoughts, but somehow hearing from Yaheil, who Clockwork was on slightly steady ground with, made him more at ease. He knew the Time Keeper held no ill intentions for him, but he was by all means still a child mentally. The thought of sex, of all things, had put him on edge with his husband. Sure, there had been teasing between them, eat-biting and shameless kisses, but going any farther had never been thought of by either of them. Not to mention, when Clockwork had burst into Vlad's lab, looking angry enough to murder, Danny had admitted to being a bit afraid of his own husband at that moment.

After being alone for a while, bouncing Chrona on his hip in the library, he had stopped to stare at his lovely child, and knew he had to go through with it; if only to let Clockwork feel what Danny felt for him. To know how happy Danny was with Clockwork, how happy he was now that he had Chrona, his new family, the love he had gained because of the time ghost.

Yaheil had appeared again, sitting an armchair nearby, and after shaking Chrona's arms and making ridiculous faces, he'd let Reki take Chrona to Clockwork so he could speak alone with the Observant.

_'But, I really wouldn't know how to um, you know...' Danny fidgeted in his seat. Yaheil smirked._

_'What virgin does?' Danny blushed. 'But you know, Clockwork has not been with anyone either.' That made Danny look up in surprise. 'Oh, he may seem to know, but only because he's a perverted voyeur. After all, he gets comedy, so why not the porn channel too?" Yaheil took great delight at Danny's flustered reaction. 'He will be gentle if it's for your sake. He would NEVER hurt you through an act of love.'_

_Danny stared at his hands. 'But, what if I don't know what to do?' Yaheil took hold of Danny's hands in a surprisingly gentle and serious gesture._

_'Danny, do what you feel like doing. Do as you feel you must. There are no wrong moves.' Danny smiled, and leaned forward touching his forehead to their joined hands. He felt the pressure inside him beginning to lessen. Yaheil then pulled the younger closer, as if sharing a secret. 'Besides, Clockwork loves you deeply. Time and again he defied us, if only to give you small comforts. He will always care for you.'_

_The Observant got up and strolled towards the portal. Before he stepped into it, he turned and gave Danny a strange smile. 'By the way, Clockwork really surprised me.' Danny tilted his head in confusion. 'The gear he used to make your ring was from his inner clock. It must've hurt quite a bit, to pull it out. After all, his inner clock is so sensitive...' He had winked and walked straight through the portal, leaving behind a red-faced halfa, who summoned a book on the workings of a grandfather clock. After all, studying was a good way to learn._

* * *

><p>After a full day of studying, broken by periods to attend to Chrona, Danny felt he was ready. His hands shook as he walked towards Clockworks' room. Reki and Chrona would be at his house in Amity-Park for the rest of the next two days, so he had plenty of time. He reached his loves' door and as silently as he could, he opened the wooden door and peered in.<p>

It wasn't that Clockwork never slept, it was just very rare. Right now he was in his eldest form, looking peaceful as he breathed in and out as steadily as the ticking coming from his chest. Danny crept in, holding in his energy as he slunk towards the bed edge. He stared down as the infant form appeared, and pulled out a tiny string, holding a pea-sized pink gem.

_'This will keep him in adult form for as long as you need it to.'_

Danny dry-swallowed as he carefully slipped the pendant around Clockwork's neck just as he changed again, leaving his adult form lying prone on the bed. Danny blushed as he slid onto the covers, his bare thigh brushing Clockwork's tail by accident. He froze, as the Time Keeper muttered and shifted, finally settling down after a moment. Danny was twitching by now, but calmed himself by reciting the parts of the clock diagram he'd found in the book. He pulled at his dress hem; he'd washed the clothing as best he could, but it had turned gray in the end. Dora had worked so hard on it, too. He pulled out a cloth he'd made from a larger piece that tore off as he'd handled the dress, and set it to the side.

He breathed deeply, and lavender rain soothed his nerves, helping to encourage him with a random thought; after tonight, he'd carry the scent as well. He grinned, feeling giddiness well up inside him as he carefully moved Clockwork's arms up; using a bit of his new energy, and some ice, he fashioned a chain and wrapped it about the time ghosts' wrists. Clockwork was bound to the bars that made up his headboard. Danny held his shaking hand above the tiny knob on the casing that made up his husbands chest; he needed to relax, dammit! He breathed in hard, and actually felt himself get dizzy. That proved that Clockworks' smell was a drug, like chloroform or something. He leaned over his love, and smiled as his fingers pinched the door open.

Clockwork had been dreaming peacefully, of a picnic with Danny and Chrona, when a painful tug on his body brought him from his rest. Danny was sitting on his hips, a catty smile on his lips, and when he tried to move his arms he found he was unable to. He glanced up and his jaw dropped; he was chained to his bed! He looked back down and his face burned; his casing was open, his inner clock laying bare and exposed.

"Danny, what is the meaning of this?-!" He nearly shouted, just barely holding back. Danny leaned forward, and Clockwork got a nice view of his wife's thigh, bare and just barely touching his tail. "Undo this chain immediately!" He commanded, feeling his stomach back-flip when Danny shook his head.

"I can't. If I do, then you'll run." Before he could ask what the halfa meant, his lips were covered in a kiss. He instantly became dominant, delving his tongue into Danny's mouth, making the younger moan and squirm. Clockwork blushed harder when he felt the younger's arousal against his hip; Danny was eager. "Besides, it'll feel really good. I promise." Clockwork couldn't find his voice to ask 'what?' as Danny leaned away, the dress strap slipping and exposing most of the halfa's torso. Pale skin, lean and strong, oh ye gods-! When he finally turned back around, Danny smirked as he held a small dainty rag up. Danny reached for the casing edge, when Clockwork finally caught on and began to twist and writhe.

"I beg you, please Danny, don't! My inner clock is-" A finger on his lips made him freeze, and Danny leaned down close and smiled gently.

"Very delicate and sensitive, I know that dear." Danny held the rag down, sweeping over the clockface gently; Clockwork gasped and bit his lip. "That's why you need to stay still. I plan to be as gentle as possible. I've been studying, after all." The rubbing motion was accompanied by a little pressure, making Clockwork groan and writhe slightly. Danny let his fingers dip down and the rag touched a thin wire, making Clockwork arch with a strangled cry. "For instance, I know this is a cable, which helps to pull the clock hands into place to tell the proper time. Cables need to be wound by..." He ventured further, rewarded when Clockwork keened, hands clawing at the energy chain. "A key, right here." Holding his fingers under the cloth, he twisted the tiny key slightly, making Clockwork arch against him harder; He bit back a groan and blushed. Their hips had collided, reminding him how hard he was, watching the all-powerful ghost of time writhing and panting as he called for Danny's touch.

"The cables have to be wound in order for the weights to pull correctly on the gears. The weights aren't the only parts that help the gears though." With a wicked grin, Danny slid his hand across the pendulum that had stopped moving, probably acting out of shock. "The pendulum is made of two parts. The lyre-" He wrapped his hand around the long thin lyre and stroked; Clockwork let out another strangled cry. "-And the 'bob', which is the round disc at the bottom of the lyre." He gripped the circular plate hard, making the time ghost sweat and swear. "The pendulum helps to lessen friction as the pendulum sways left to right, which in turn helps the weights move." He held the lyre and stroked up and down as he turned the pendulum back and forth. Below him, Clockwork was arching and moaning, body hot from desire to get this tease off his chest and under him as quickly as possible. Danny continued to stroke, until Clockwork cried out loudly and wrapped his tail around the halfa's waist. The tip curled and shivered, stroking his lover's belly before slithering down and pressing against Danny's groin, making both males whimper.

Danny gave one last stroke before he pulled his hand and the rag out of the casing, shutting it with a pinch that made the Time Keeper hiss an obscenity, and with a SNAP! of his fingers the energy chain faded. No sooner had his hands been freed that Clockwork pounced on Danny with an animalistic snarl, pinning his wife to the bed. He growled low in the halfa's ear, feeling his lover shudder in anticipation.

"You coy little _minx_..." He purred in the boy's ear, licking the outer shell, making Danny squirm. "What were you thinking, teasing me like this?" He growled, sweeping his tail along his wife's leg, sliding it up the boys' hip and along his groin, making Danny squirm and gasp, cute and hot noises that pleased Clockwork to no end. "Don't you know I always return the deed?" He nipped at Danny's neck.

Teeth chattering, body trembling, Danny opened his eyes and stared stared Clockwork dead in the eye. "T-Then why d-don't you?" He gasped for breath as the Time Keeper snarled, pulled Danny upwards, and slammed him back down, their fingers laced together tightly. He tilted his head back as Clockwork assaulted his neck, bruising the skin with marks, and cried out as he felt his husband's teeth sink into his shoulder, leaving a four-point mark for all to see. Clockwork's tail tugged on the lining of Danny underwear, pulling it off and flinging it off the bed. One hand slid over Danny's back, as the other drifted down to grip his thigh. The dress was pulled off, leaving Danny bare for his lover, and Clockwork paused to appreciate the sight: Danny naked and spread, eyes lustful and begging for his touch, lips swollen from bruising kisses, skin red and alive from nips and marks. Clockwork groaned and tangled his hand in Danny's hair, kissing him deeply.

He removed his clothing quickly, and Danny blinked before he realized he was really seeing his lover bared for him. Clockwork was slightly more built than his clothing let on; his blue skin was tinged darker in patches, hot from Danny's ministrations earlier. His hair hung down freely, glowing in the dim light of the room. His tail had shifted to his legs, and Danny blushed when he saw how big his lover was. And...(ahem) how eager he was, as well.

"Danny..." At his name's utterance, he looked up, his lip catch by Clockwork's fang. They pressed together, Danny whimpering from the heat between them. Clockwork began to grind against Danny, panting hard as he licked the bite wound he'd made earlier. Danny cried loudly as they moved, needing more than just touches, He pushed Clockwork up, holding onto his lover's arm while the time ghost wore an adorable dazed look of confusion.

"I need...I need you." Danny whispered, which made the familiar ruby eyes of his husband go wide, before he was pinned down once again by a kiss. He wrapped his arms around the ghost's neck, as Clockwork lapped at Danny's neck again, this time trailing down his chest with minute kisses, pausing to nip and bite his nipples, making him hotter and causing him to whine loudly. Clockwork continued down, biting at Danny's thigh, licking at the skin, until he heard a groan of his name. "Cl-Clockw-work..." He looked up to see Danny, body practically overheating from want, cock at attention and weeping, lustful eyes that were rapidly flickering between green, blue, and teal. He smirked.

"Call it payback for my impromptu lesson." Danny nearly swore at him, then screamed at hot, wet, suction covered him. He twisted and yelled, panting as Clockwork devoured him. Heat encased his length, slow torturous suction made his insides twist up in pleasure. Clockwork pulled back and licked the tip like a kitten, making Danny arch and mewl.

"Cl-Clock..." Danny was on fire, his skin burning against the icy skin of his ghostly lover. He panted and gasped, trying to draw air into his lungs, hands digging into the covers. He felt as though a spring was being wound in the lower pit of his stomach, and it was tightening to the point of pain, bordered on pleasure. He arched again and tried to trust, only to be held down by Clockwork's gentle hands. The ghost skimmed his fingers over Danny's hips lightly, teasing the sensitive flesh. He pulled back, running his tongue across the underside of his lovers' cock, rewarded by the screech and thrust the motion gained.

"Haaahhh...Haaahhh...Nngh, Clockwork, nngh!" Danny squirmed and moaned, nearly screaming in frustration when Clockwork pulled away. The ghost of time licked his lips, smirking down at his wife, who lay under him panting and pleading for his touch as he'd done previously.

"Are you ready, sweet flower?" He murmured in Danny's ear. "I'm going to behead you now." It was very old and cheesy, and Danny almost laughed at the horrible pun, but after a moment shrieked instead as his entrance was prodded by something big. He breathed slowly, eyes clenched shut, when he felt a finger tracing his cheek lovingly. He opened his eyes after a moment of hesitation, and he felt himself melt at the love and passion in Clockwork's eyes. They leaned together, kissing and pressing together, and Clockwork swallowed every cry of pain Danny let out as the Time Keeper entered him. It burned, hurt almost as bad as when he'd woken up in the lab, and it only dulled a little as Clockwork was seated fully completely within the halfa's trembling body.

"Ahhh! CL-CLOCKWORK! Haaa!" Danny cried as the ghost threaded their fingers together, palms flat against each other in a wonderfully simple gesture. Clockwork held back his own whimper as his cock was squeezed by the younger's tight entrance. The heat was unbearable, so silky and wet and _tight_; he just wanted to obey his own body's commands of _'take him, take him NOW!'_, but left the call unanswered. He needed to make sure Danny was alright. He managed to open his eyes, staring deeply into icy blue eyes that held a flicker of teal and green sparks. His wife was beneath him, body quivering around him, and eyes that reflected pain. Through it, Danny waited until Clockwork's eyes locked on his again, and nodded. Clockwork began to move slowly, pulling out carefully, illicting a hiss from Danny, before pushing back in, making the halfa's head fall on the pillows with a cry of his name.

"NNNNGH! CLOCK! UGHHH!" Danny felt like he was being torn in two, the burning in his backside spreading and burning his entire insides like wildfire. He gasped and clawed at the sheets, random babble other than his husband's name falling from his lips. Clockwork panted as the rocking of his hips quickened, Danny moving back to meet his movements with cries of pleasure. He closed his eyes and pressed his face into Danny's shoulder, thrusting harder, the image of Danny burned into his eyelids. "Aughhh-AH! AH! CLOCKWORK!" Danny screeched as the tip of his cock brushed something deep inside the halfa's body, making Danny nearly bend in half. His nails dug into the ghosts' back, making Clockwork hiss and snarl something primal. He aimed his thrusts well, and after a moment Danny arched against him with a scream of pleasure, and when Danny wrapped his arms around the Time Keeper's neck, his eyes were completely teal and flared with lust. Clockwork gasped as he felt his core being tugged on, Danny's own core luring it closer.

"Need...You..." The halfa whispered, slamming their lips together. The time master groaned and thrusted harder into his lover's body, guiding their chests together, nearly whimpering as he felt their cores hungrily seek out each other. It was like their bodies had been magnetized, and there was no separating them now. Clockwork moaned as their cores met, his own dark red and magenta core meeting Danny's blue and green, melding together and making both males screech in pleasure. He felt Danny's pleasure feeding into his, and that fedback to his wife's, creating an endless loop of love, pleasure, happiness, before it was over, Danny coming all over their stomachs with a scream of Clockwork's name, and the time ghost responding with a muffled mutter of his lover's name.

They lay together, panting, and after a moment Clockwork had regained enough energy to pull out of Danny, who whined slightly at the soreness and emptiness he felt. The Time Keeper moved up and kissed his lover passionately, Danny responding back just as enthusiastically. It was a perfect moment, and as Danny stroked his husband's hair as the time master slept, his head on Danny's lap, the halfa reflected how perfect it would be for the rest of time. He had a beautiful baby boy, a wonderful and caring husband, friends and family, and the power to protect it all. He smiled and bent down, touching his nose to Clockwork's in an Eskimo kiss.

"I love you." He got a response in the ghost's sleepy smile.

* * *

><p><em><strong>READ AND REVIEW<strong>_! LONGEST. CHAPTER. EVER. But, was it worth the wait? Did you drool? Were you on the edge of your seat? Have you discovered a new fetish you like? Er, disregard that last one. Next up: Epilogue, the conclusion story!


	16. Chapter 16: Epilogue

For the first time ever, I'm finishing a story!

Danny: Well, I feel special then.

Clockwork: This is a bit of a surprise.

I've never finished a story so quickly, so I'd like to thank everyone for their support/death-threats. I appreciated the reviews so much! And, if you liked this story, go check out my other stories once you've finished this chapter, okay? By the way, Ace, Anne, NightShade, Tyler, and Gadget are my OCs, and can be found on my deviantart page. Get used to those.

Dan: Well then, this calls for something special.

Le shock! Dan, you're in the preview?

Dan: Eh?...Oh my god, you're right! This is the first time I've been in this section! This...This is so different.

Too bad it's the last chapter. Try again later.

Dan: BITCH!

Everyone: CHAPTAH!

STARTO!

* * *

><p>For the next three years after that day, life was busy. After a few days back in the castle, Clockwork discovered Yaheil hiding in the library. The Observant had put forth the claim that he was going to help Clockwork with the time stream, now that he had a family to take care of. Of course, that was dispelled when Torin flew into the room, knocked her brother unconscious via a giant hammer, and proceeded to drag him back to...wherever the Observants lived. It hadn't mattered, because somehow within an hour he was back, screaming at her from atop the giant globe in the room. As for the resident future ghostling, Dan had taken an immediate liking to Chrona, and constantly followed him around when he learned to crawl. Of course, after turning two and discovering Chrona's ability to fly, Dan was often found hanging around the ceiling when in the same room as his brother.<p>

Chrona grew well, and his appearance, though odd colored, never seemed to register with anyone in Amity-Park. His golden-yellow eyes were always bright with excitement, and his voice, once able to talk, was very soft and soothing, like rustling leaves in the fall. Chrona was very attached to his 'mama' and 'papa' as well, taking to following Danny around like a puppy, and sat against Clockwork in the Viewing Room.

Danny seemed to be frozen forever at the age of eighteen. His eyes now burned intensely with teal-light, and though he flipped back and forth between his forms, neither aged. Clockwork was positive it was his ghost half, now completely synchronized with his human half.

Dan grew at a normal rate as well. Before long he was eight while Chrona was five, and the two seemed to never part from each other. Dan was dragged everywhere by his sibling, and seemed all too happy going along with the endless games Chrona came up with.

When Chrona was eight, Torin came flying into the tower, carrying a tiny black bundle, and screaming about pancakes and flying cars. The child she held, Ace, was a newly born Death-God, and was quite mischievous. He had green eyes, with the most peculiar blue star-shapes around his pupils, giving a new meaning to 'starry-eyed'. Dan did not particularly like Ace, who took to Chrona like a fish in water. The two were constantly trying to one-up the other in a sort of 'who-can-be-the-best-big-brother' competition. A new face emerged three months later, in the form of Box Lunch, the daughter of the Box Ghost and Lunch Lady. She was a very energetic and responsible girl, and Dan was all too happy to let her chase Ace around when the mini-death got too hyper.

Two years after that, two more faces joined the group; NightShade, son of Nocturne and Vortex, and Gadget, the test-tube daughter of Technus. NightShade was very quiet, and was the most mature and level-headed of the group. He had long black hair and red eyes, and had his 'mother's' gray face. His fashion sense was more his 'father's' style, a long black coat with red frills in the front and dark green pants. Somehow, NightShade was the oldest of the group, a title Dan let him have out of respect. If NightShade was sanity, then Gadget was insanity. White hair in a parody of Dan's, red eyes behind redder glasses, and the same manic grin her father wore, Gadget was a child to be feared. Her skin was a shade lighter than Technus, and her manners were just as bad. Thankfully she didn't spout off long-winded monologues...Most of the time.

The final member of their group visited a year later, the daughter of Jazz Fenton and GhostWriter. Anne was a tiny girl, orange hair and blue eyes from her mother. She was three years old when she was introduced to her cousins, and attached herself to their sides fast. Out of all the children, Anne had the oddest ability. Anne was able to narrate something, and it would happen. Her favorite thing to do was say 'And then Snowbloom grew.' which caused her rabbit plushie to grow ten times larger, come alive, and chase around whoever she pointed at. (Mostly Ace.) She had an affection towards NightShade, though she never acted on it. And while Ace acted almost believably gay towards the guys of the group, he had the biggest crush on Gadget, for reasons no one had ever figured out. Box Lunch was close to NightShade, but was actually taken with Dan, who ignored her as best he could.

All in all, the most normal group of ghost children there ever was.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure about this?" It had been thirteen full years since they had gotten married, so the question Danny asked was more out of habit than actual concern. He stood in front of a Gear-Mirror, which displayed the children who were examining a portal that had appeared on the ground.<p>

Clockwork came up behind Danny, wrapping himself around his wife comfortingly. "Children cannot grow if they are always coddled. You know that well enough, dear."

Danny leaned back into the embrace, humming slightly as the children, one by one, jumped in. "I suppose. But I still worry. Part of being a mother, I guess." Clockwork pressed a kiss to the back of his neck and smiled.

"Children tend to worry about their parents as well." He leaned on Danny, draping himself over the halfa like a blanket. "And Chrona is no different. He has the best company right now." They watched as the tunnel of energy spat them out to a wide blue sky, and they began free-falling. "They are about to meet their final partner. Hopefully Dan doesn't scare him away."

Danny smiled, remembering that prediction. "Oh, if Chrona plays his cards right, I don't think that'll be a problem." NightShade had created a platform of shadows, and Danny winced as Ace face-planted onto it. "And as long as Ace is immobile, he can't scare the boy away either." They watched as the group landed safely, and though Chrona had visited the human world numerous times, the look of amazement on his face never ceased to bring a smile to Danny's lips.

Danny shrieked as he felt prying fingers glide over his sides. He turned to his grinning husband, faking anger. "Oh, YOU-!" He shrieked again as he was swept off his feet and held bridal style, his arms around Clockwork's neck.

"Yes, ME." Clockwork's grin widened. "The one you should be paying attention to, instead of the children." He tilted Danny's chin up. "And I think I know just the way to distract you."

Danny felt his stomach flutter, and his fingers danced across his husband's chest teasingly. "Really? Care to enlighten me?"

The next thing he knew, Danny was whisked away to their bedroom, the doors slamming shut. Yaheil, who had been in the corner the entire time, gagged and rolled his eyes.

"About time, eh?" Torin, who appeared from the shadows, smirked at her brother's childishness, and stepped forward to watch the Gear-Mirrors.

Something told her the two would be 'missing' for quite some time.

* * *

><p>Chrona looked all over the place they had landed in. It appeared to be a school, with two large lakes sitting behind it, and an abundance of trees everywhere. He looked over to the others, who donned their human forms as disguise. NightShade's hair receded to his neck, and his skin turned tan, while his eyes turned a brown-red. Box Lunch was also flesh-toned, though she was a bit paler. Ace concentrated, and the stars in his eyes disappeared behind green. His hair stayed the same, though. Gadget at first refused, but let her skin shift colors to a light cocoa color, and her eyes darkened to the same shade as NightShade's.<p>

Dan transformed, and it was as if someone had taken a picture of Chrona and stuck the negative image next to him. Dan looked exactly like Chrona, with black hair in a ponytail, and red eyes that faded to a silvery blue. He looked almost like Danny had, back when they first met.

"Remember. He's human, but Mama and Papa said he'd become one of our most important allies." The silver-haired boy said, making sure his eyes caught everyone. Anne held Snowbloom close to her chest, the six-year-old being used to trips like this by now. "Don't scare him, don't tease him, and most of all, don't make him an enemy."

Ace nodded, then held his hands together. A burst of blue fire formed in between his palms, and the Death-God threw the flame high into the sky. It exploded, creating a trail of footprints; the prints that belonged to the person they were hunting for. They followed the trail in silence, the rules of stealth running through their minds like a collective mantra.

_Rule 1: Disappear your breath and dissolve into the darkness._

They turned invisible, and made their way silently through the foliage. Anne hopped from the tree tops, her flesh passing intangible and silent through the leaves and bark.

_Rule 2: Predict the targets moves and thoughts._

Chrona held up his hand, and after a pause, he pointed Ace and NightShade to the left, Box Lunch and Gadget to the right. He let Anne land on his shoulders, and she held tight as Dan led them forward.

_Rule 3: Take out the target, before the target sees you._

Chrona watched as a young teen strolled into view. He had sand-colored hair and pale skin, his cheeks dusted with freckles. His large green eyes were zoned in on a bird in front of him. His hoodie was dark green with light green trim, and a picture of an alien face on the front. His pants were dark blue, and his white and red converse barely made a noise as he made his way forward slowly.

'That's him.' Chrona let Anne jump to an as he crawled forward, the leaves quietly passing through his skin. The boy had a flashlight and a camera around his neck, and he was holding it out to the bird with a smile. Without warning, something in the distance exploded, startling the bird and both boys. The human fell on his rear and yelped, and Chrona was startled out of his invisibility. He froze as the boy turned his and caught sight of him, screaming and backing away.

"No, no, no! It's okay." Chrona soothed, relieved as the human calmed almost immediately. For some reason, his voice was extremely calming and soothing to humans. The boy was staring at him as Chrona stood, and while he did so his eyes caught NightShade, who was gathering clouds in the sky. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Y-Y-You're a g-gh-gh-ghost!" The boy stuttered, reaching to his camera. Dan sprung from the bushes nearby with an animalistic snarl, but Chrona held a hand to him.

"Yeah, I am. At least, partly. But I'm nice. See?" Chrona held his palm flat, and a moment later his mother's inherited abilities shone through as a rose made of ice appeared in his hand. The human gasped in awe and snapped a photo. Chrona let the ice disappear, and held his hand out to the boy to help him up. "I'm Chrona. Chrona Fenton. And Mr. Growls-A-Lot over there is my brother, Dan."

"I'm Tyler Bansom, the paranormal freak of Candover High." Tyler stated proudly. He raised the camera hesitantly. "Uh."

Chrona smiled, and nodded. Tyler grinned as he snapped a shot of the ghost boy, then walked over to Dan and Anne. Anne smiled brightly at him, while Dan studied him closely. He quickly snapped a photo of them both, darting behind Chrona after the camera stopped whirring.

"Hey down there!" They all looked up as Ace and NightShade descended from the clouds, Tyler's jaw dropping. Ace landed and reverted to his regular form, squealing loudly as he saw Tyler. He jumped the boy, wrapping his arms together tightly enough that Tyler couldn't escape. "Hello there, fabulous."

At the look of discomfort on Tyler's face, Dan sighed and dragged the Death-God off the poor human. "Knock it off, dummy."

Ace whirled about and spoke in a horrible sounding hispanic tone. "_EY! Ese,_ whatchu want?" Dan gave him a flat 'are-you-serious?' look.

"You aren't Mexican, dumbass."

Ace frowned. "Like, what are you, like, talking about?"

"You aren't from the valley."

Ace pouted. "Ooh, girl, why you be so harsh?"

"You aren't gay...Wait, that one's still debatable." Tyler cracked up at the look on Ace's face, and Dan smirked as well. The human managed to make his giggles subside, and he looked around the group. They seemed like regular kids to him, just glowing.

He shuffled his feet. "Any particular reason you amazing people decided to talk to me?"

Dan shrugged. "Well, we normally go on adventures." Tyler nodded.

"Uh-huh."

"And today we decided we'd bring along a human."

A tan eyebrow raised up. "Uh-huh."

"Because it's not something we've ever done before."

"Uh-huh." A sinking feeling began to make itself known in Tyler's stomach.

"And you were the first guy we found."

Tyler twitched. "So, what you're saying is-" He was cut off by Ace jumping on him again.

"WE WERE BORED!" Tyler felt his eye twitch as he stood there, a hyper Death-God hugging him, and several more ghosts around him laughing. He looked to Chrona, who gave him a gentle smile.

"We want you to be part of our group, Tyler. After all, who else can honestly say they have ghosts for friends?" Tyler considered that. Then considered it some more. Then finally, let out a long-suffering sigh, and grinned.

"If that's something to brag about, then grab me a microphone." They all cheered and swarmed him. Tyler screeched as his feet left the ground, and he gaped as they all flew through the sky, to an open green-glowing portal.

"Then, you need to visit the Ghost Zone."

It was exciting. It was new. It was something he had never done before, and Tyler's only thought as they leapt through the portal was that he hoped he'd brought enough film to cover everything. Chrona clutched his hand tightly and a reassuring smile was displayed on his lips. Tyler felt very reassured. And excited.

"And so it goes..."

Reki watched them from her seeing orb, cross-legged and upside down in the sky. She turned to face the sun, relaxing on her back.

"And so it _goes_..."

END

* * *

><p><em><strong><span>READ AND REVIEW!<span>**_

AT LAST! THE FINAL CHAPTER IS COMPLETED! (Cue laughter and dramatic music from Dexter's Labratory) Thanks to all who reviewed, death-threatened, and inspired me. I'm glad, and amazed, so many people reviewed this story.

Danny: I'm a bit sad now that it's over. No more chatting with you.

Clockwork: All things come to an end.

Oh don't worry. I've got more stories planned for you two.

Danny+Clockwork: AAAAGHHHH!

Until next time, folks. Ready Set, SE YOU AGAIN!


End file.
